Free! (revised)
by Unicornblossem13
Summary: My own version of Free! with Haru as a girl.
1. Reunion at the Starting Block!

**Alright, this is a revision of the series, where Haru is a girl. I hope you enjoy it. Disclaimer: I own nothing at all.**

* * *

Chapter One: Reunion at the Starting Block!

* * *

 _The water is alive. Once you dive in, it will immediately bare it's fangs and attack. But there's nothing to fear. Don't resist the water. Thrust your fingers into the surface and carve an opening. Then you slide your body though the opening. Moving your arms, your head, your chest..._

"Her swimming always looks so smooth." a young boy with olive green hair commented as he watched the girl that in the pool swim through the water.

"Yep, she's like a dolphin!" a shorter boy with blonde hair remarked.

The two boys turned their heads and saw another young boy stepping onto one of the diving blocks.

"Who's that?" Nagisa asked.

"Matsuoka Rin-kun." Makoto answered. "He transferred into our class last week."

After adjusting his goggles over his eyes, Rin snapped the bands of the goggles on the back of his head. Then he got into position and jumped into the water with a loud splash. Makoto and Nagisa watched the other boy swim through, catching up with the girl that in the lane next to his. When the two swimmers reached the other end of the pool, they propelled themselves off the wall and swam back to the other end of the pool. When they finally reached the end, the girl raised her head from the water and panted slightly. She removed her goggles and swimming cap before she shook her short, chin-length raven hair out of her face. She opened her ocean blue eyes and saw a hand being held out towards her.

"Nobody can beat you when you're in the water, Haru-chan." Makota commented, smiling at the girl.

Haru stared blankly at him for a second. "Stop adding '-chan' at the end of my name already." she said before she took his hand and allowed him to pull her out of the pool.

"That was so cool, Nanase-chan!" Nagisa remarked. "I wanna swim like you!"

"You're as fast of the rumors say." Rin, who was still in the pool, said. "What was your time?"

"I don't care about my time." Haru replied coolly as she turned to face away from the redheaded boy, her eyes closed.

Rin stared at the girl for a moment, slightly surprised by what she said, before he started to laugh slightly. "That's just like the rumors said, too."

The young raven haired girl reopened her eyes and watched the young boy climb out of the pool.

"Hey, Nanase. You interested in entering a relay with me at the next tournament?" Rin asked.

Haru stared at him, her face expressionless. "I only do freestyle." she said simply before she turned around and climbed onto the diving block she was using before.

 _That's right, I don't care about swimming faster times. All I want to do is feel the water._

Haru put her swimming cap and goggles back on. She got into position and jumped into the water, her form closely resembling a dolphin.

 _With my skin, my eyes, my soul... To never doubt what it makes me feel. Believe in myself. Don't resist the water. Welcome it. We accept one another._

* * *

 _Four years later_

"Yep. There was some pretty weird stuff going through my head at the time." Nanase Haruka (Age: 17, Height: 175 cm, Bust: 102 cm, Waist: 54 Hips: 90 cm), , said to herself as she sat in her bathtub, her arm in the air with her hand held out.

While being called 'Haru' by her friends and family hasn't changed, the former femalw ahlete has grown into a very beautiful young lady with a large bust, slim waist, and large hips.

She let her arm drop. "There's an old saying my late grandma told me. When you're ten, they call you a prodigy. When you're fifteen, they call you a genius. Once you reach the age of twenty, you're just an ordinary person." she raised her head to look up at the ceiling. "Just three more years until I'm ordinary."

Then she let herself sink under the water.

'Man...' Haru thought, staring at the bathroom ceiling through the water with a slightly bored look on her face. 'I can't wait to be ordinary.'

* * *

"Good morning, Tamura-san." Tachibana Makoto greeted politely to his neighbor.

"Good morning, Makoto-chan." the elderly woman greeted back. She reached into her bag and pulled out a slice of bread that was wrapped up in a piece of cloth. "Take this with you."

"Oh, thank you." the olive green haired boy said, taking the bread. "See you around!" with that being said he walked away.

"Take care now."

When he arrived at his destination, Makoto started to walk up the flight of stairs that led to his childhood friend's home. While he was walking, he heard soft meow. Looking down, Makoto smiled when he saw a small white kitten, with green eyes, sitting besides some bushes.

"Good morning." Makoto greeted as he knelt down and scratched under the kitten's chin, causing her to purr.

The olive green haired boy stood up straight and continued to making his way up the stairs. When he finally made it to the top, Makoto went towards the two-story house that was at the top. He made to the door and pressed the doorbell. After waiting a few moments with no answer, Makoto took a few steps back and craned his neck up to the second floor. What he saw was the blue curtains that covered the upstairs's bathroom window from the inside.

"Oh, come on..." Makoto sighed.

He made his way to the back of the house and entered through the backdoor, which was unlocked like always.

"Excuse me." the young man called out.

Makoto made his way to the bathroom area. In there, he saw a pair of pajamas in the laundry basket with the bathroom door closed.

"Naturally, she's here." the olive green haired boy sighed again. He turned towards the door and knocked on it with the back of his fist. "Hey, please don't make me come in there." he calls out, a light pink blush on his cheeks.

"I'm wearing a swimsuit." a female voice said from the other side of the door.

Once again, Makoto sighed. "Alright, I'm coming in." he said as he slides the door open.

A second after he opened the door, a head of raven hair shot up from the bathtub. Haru shook her head back and forth a few times to get her hair out of her face. When she stopped and opened her ocean blue eyes, the young woman saw a hand being held out towards her.

"Good morning, Haru-chan." Makoto said, smiling.

Haru stared blankly at him for a moment. "I thought I told you to lay off the '-chan'." she said as she took his hand and let him help her out of the water.

The olive green haired boy immediately noticed the black, with purple stripes running down the sides, and backless one-piece swimsuit, which showed off her slender, yet very developed and curvaceous, figure.

"You were in the bath with your swimsuit on again?" Makoto asked, already knowing the answer.

"Buzz off." Haru said in monotone as she stepped out of the bathtub, her long, waist-length raven hair sticking to her back while water ran down her long, smooth legs. "You're going to be late." she remarked as she walked out of the bathroom.

"That's my line." Makoto sighed for the fourth time that day.

* * *

"Why are you grilling fish?!" the olive green haired teen asked his childhood friend.

"I haven't had breakfast yet." Haru replied simply, her face expressionless as usual, as she continued to fry the pieces of fish that were on the mini grill she was using.

"And you're wearing an apron over a swimsuit." Makoto said as he observed the ravenette wearing a dark blue apron, which was over her swimsuit. "Don't you feel cold?"

"I don't want to get any oil on my swimsuit." the young woman said.

The sound of a light 'ding' caused the young man to turn around to see toasted bread pop out of the toaster.

"Toast and fish?" Makoto questioned, finding his childhood friend's eating habits to be a bit strange.

* * *

"So? Why did you come get me?" Haru, now wearing her school uniform, asked the taller boy as she and him walked to their school.

"You didn't show up for the opening assembly yesterday." Makoto replied, smiling softly at her.

"I called in sick." the ravenette deadpanned.

"Do you know which class you're in, then?"

The young woman made no reply.

"We're in the same class again. Class 1. We got a new lady as our homeroom teacher. They've already given her a nickname. She teaches classical literature, but she's a little bit on the odd side."

Haru, who had stopped listening a moment ago, turned her head to gaze at the sparkly blue ocean they were walked by.

'It needs to get warmer so I can swim in the ocean.' she thought as she looked longingly at the water.

Makoto, finally realizing his childhood friend wasn't listening to him, smiled down at her when he saw where she was staring.

"I hope it gets warmer soon so you can swim." he commented.

Haru huffed as she turned her head away, causing Makoto to chuckle in amusement.

* * *

Once the two childhood friend's made to their classroom, Haru took a place in her seat, which was beside the back window. Their homeroom teacher, a pretty woman with short brown hair and brown eyes, began the roll call.

"Miss Nanase Haruka?" the teacher called out when she got to the ravenette names. "Is she here today?"

Haru, who was staring out the window absentmindedly, didn't reply.

"Yes, ma'am, she's here!" Makoto called out from his seat, which was right next to Haru's, when the young teenager didn't make a move to answer.

"Oh, you're right!" the teacher exclaimed when she saw the ravenette's face in the back. "You were absent yesterday, correct? I'm Amakato Miho, your new homeroom teacher." she smiled warmly at Haru. "Nice to meet you."

Haru didn't say anything, just giving a small nod in the teacher's direction.

* * *

"I heard Ama-chan-sensei is from this area." a student said to his friends after class was over for lunch. "She went to college in Tokyo and found a job there, but she came back after her dream fell through."

"What was her dream?"

"Beats me. Maybe she wanted to go into music?"

'We're supposed to be learning from a woman who became a teacher as her Plan B?' Haru, who heard the entire conversation, thought as she stared out through the window. She sighed to herself. 'I want to go home already.'

"So, lunch..."

Turning her head to the side, the seventeen year old saw her childhood friend smiling at her with a wrapped up bento in his hands.

"Wanna eat on the roof?" Makoto suggested.

'He needs to get a clue.' Haru mentally remarked.

* * *

"Gou, what are you doing? Hurry up!" a girl, with light brown hair, in a bun, and brown eyes, called out from over her shoulder.

"Hold on!" a cute girl with long red hair, which was in a high ponytail, and red eyes shouted as she tried to catch up with her friend. "And don't call me Gou!"

Suddenly, a boy with blonde hair bumped into her.

"Sorry!" the boy apologized before he ran in the direction the girl came from.

Gou panted slightly as she watched the boy's retreating figure.

* * *

"I didn't bring lunch." Haru said to Makoto as they walked down the stairs.

"Go buy something, then?" the olive green haired boy suggested. "Or would you like some of this?" he held out pieces of dried squid that were wrapped in a piece of a newspaper. "Squid."

The ravenette stared at the pieces of the squid with a blank look on her face. Before she could make a reply, a loud voice called out.

"Haru-chan! Mako-chan!"

The childhood friends looked down and saw a short boy with blonde hair at the bottom of the stairs waving.

"It's been forever!" the boy said with a huge smile on his face. "I'll be joining you here at Iwatobi High School."

Haru and Makoto stared at him with slight confusion on their faces. They looked at one another.

"Mako-chan?" the young man repeated.

"Haru-chan?" the young woman repeated as well.

Then realization dawned on them. They looked back down at the energetic blonde with disbelief on their faces.

"Nagisa?!" they said in unison.

Hazuki Nagisa just grinned at them.

* * *

"How many years has it been?" Makoto thought aloud as the trio looked out over the walls from their spot on the rooftop, from there they could see an empty swimming pool. "I don't think that I we saw you after the swimming club was shut down."

"Yep, that was because I went to a different school." Nagisa remarked. "Look! There are cherry blossom trees next to the pool!" he said excitedly has he pointed at the large tree that was right outside the gate that the pool was in. "Weren't there cherry blossom trees at our grade school, Haru-chan?" he asked the taller girl.

"Can you please stop calling me that?" Haru asked in monotone.

"But that's your name, Haru-chan."

"But that pool is old and no longer in use. There's no swim club anymore, either." Makoto spoke up.

"Where do you swim, then?" Nagisa asked, a confused expression showing up on his face.

"I quit swimming competitively." Haru replied bluntly, her face blank.

"What?!" the blonde exclaimed in disbelief. "Why did you quit? I was all excited about getting to swim with you in high school!"

"We're not children anymore. Things aren't the same way they once were."

"Haru-chan..." the blonde said with a rather sad look on his face.

"Well, even though she stopped swimming competitively, Haru still loves the water." Makoto remarked. He looked at the shorter girl. "She can't live without being in water." he said somewhat teasingly. "During the summer, she swims in the ocean, and was even soaking in the tub this morning."

"What does that have to do with swimming?" Nagisa asked. "That just means she likes baths." then the blonde's face brightened when an idea came into his mind. "I know! How about a hot springs club?" he grabbed Haru's arm and shook her slightly. "Let's start a hot springs club!"

"I can't stand the heat." the tall ravenette replied bluntly, her face emotionless.

"Don't be like that!" the short boy complained.

'Nagisa hasn't changed one bit.' Makoto thought, chuckling to himself.

"Okay then, how about we..."

"I refuse."

"I didn't say anything yet."

Then Makoto noticed a girl with long red hair, in a high ponytail, was staring at them. The girl nodded towards him before she went back the conversation she was having with her friend, a girl with light brown hair in a bun, while they ate lunch.

* * *

"Hey, did you hear?" Nagisa asked as the trio walked down the stairs, going back to their classrooms since lunch hour was almost over. "The swimming club we went to in grade is going to be torn down soon." he said before he hopped down the rest of the stairs.

Haru's eyes widened slightly at the piece of information.

"So before that happens, why don't we pay a visit?" the blonde suggested.

"To dig that up?" Makoto questioned.

"Exactly! We can sneak in at night..."

"You can go by yourself." Haru stated bluntly.

"Don't say that! Please come with us, Haru-chan!"

"I refuse." the ravenette said before she turned away from the blonde.

"Don't you think it'll be fun?" Nagisa asked, giving her his puppy dog eyes look. However, it did nothing to waver the girl's expressionless face.

"Not at all."

Makoto chuckled slightly at the scene, knowing how the very stubborn girl wouldn't give in so easily.

"Why don't you just humor him?" the olive green haired teen asked.

"No, it would be too much effort."

Makoto put his hand near his chin. "But there's a pool there." he said, pretending he was thinking out loud.

Haru's eyebrow twitched when she heard this.

"A pool is much bigger than a bathtub."

When hearing the word 'pool', the tall girl turned around to face her childhood friend, a hopeful look in her ocean blue eyes.

* * *

Later that evening, Makoto and Nagisa went over to Haru's house to prepare for their trip to the old swimming club.

"Wow, you live by yourself, Haru-chan?" the blonde asked, opening random doors throughout the house.

"Her mom went with her dad when he had to move because of work." the olive green haired teen explained, a shovel in his hands.

Haru, who changed into a hoodie jacket with a pair of jeans, walked into the kitchen, put her apron on, and started to fry some pieces of mackerel in the pan she had placed on the stove.

"Wait, fish again?" Makoto asked.

"No one is forcing you to eat it." the ravenette said bluntly in monotone.

"Looks delicious." Nagisa commented. "Haru-chan was always a good cook."

Then Makoto's face turned a little sad. "So, are you positive about this?"

"Weren't you all for it earlier?" the short blonde asked. "Are you getting scared?"

"No, it's not that. Is it okay for just the three of us to dig that up?"

"Can't do anything about it. Rin-chan isn't in Japan anymore."

As the two males talked, Haru was suddenly plagued by a memory that came into her mind.

* * *

 _Flashback, four years ago_

"I won't be attending school here." a young boy with red hair said.

A young Haru and Makoto stared at him, confusion and surprise on their faces.

"Huh? What do you mean, Rin?" the olive green haired boy asked.

"I'm going to Australia." Rin replied, arms behind his head.

"You mean you're going to a different country?"

"Yep, I'm going to a swimming school."

Haru stared at the redheaded boy for a bit. Then her face went back to being expressionless as she turned her head to look down at the writing she and the boys had written on the bricks that where being use to hold a cherry blossom tree in place. It was in the middle of winter, so the tree hadn't started blooming yet.

"What are you trying to do?" Haru asked Rin, her voice soft and in monotone.

"I'm going to be an Olympic swimmer." the redheaded boy replied, grinning widely.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Makoto asked. "What about the relay?"

"I'm still going to swim in the relay." Rin said as he put his arms down and turned to walk away. "I'm going to be leaving the day after the tournament. So this will be the last time the four of us can swim together."

The olive green haired boy turned to the young ravenette and saw that her face was still expressionless.

"I only swim freestyle." Haru said, not looking up from where she was staring.

"That's why you have to swim in the relay." Rin remarked as he stopped walking. He turned around and faced the girl with a serious look on his face. "Let's swim together, Nanase."

Haru still didn't turn her gaze.

"If you swim with me..."

Finally, the young girl turned her head to look at the redhead. When she did, she saw that he was grinning at her.

"I'll show you a sight you've never seen before."

 _End Flashback_

* * *

"This place is pretty trashed." Makoto commented as he, Haru, and Nagisa stood outside their old swimming club.

The short blonde smiled as he reached into his back pocket and pulled out a napkin. "Here, just in case." he said as he opened the napkin and revealed white power in it. "Purifying salt."

"Salt?" the olive green haired boy repeated.

"They say this place is haunted." Nagisa explained, his face surprisingly serious.

A nervous smile appeared on Makoto's face. "Don't scare me."

"I'm not lying." the blonde said, causing terrified expression to appear on the taller boy's face. "People have been seeing shadows moving around and hearing sobbing voices."

Makoto's mouth twitched slightly as he gazed up at the abandoned run-down building.

"Stand still." Nagisa said as he started throwing salt on the scared teenager. He then turned to the emotionless girl. "Okay. You're next, Haru-chan." he started to throw salt on her as well.

Then something clicked inside the ravenette's brain.

"Hey." she said quietly, causing her male companions to freeze.

"Wh-What is it?" Makoto stammered, gripping the shovel he was holding onto tightly.

Haru put some of the white powder on her finger, then licked it with her tongue. "This is not salt. It's sugar." she said bluntly.

* * *

"Well, it's all mental anyway, so sugar will still get the job done." Nagisa, holding a flashlight in his hand, remarked as the trio walked through a hallway in the building.

"Cliched as hell." Haru mumbled as she turned her head to the side.

"It is one of the oldest mistakes out there." Makoto said while he smiled, trying to cover up the fear he was feeling while inside the building.

Suddenly, there was a loud noise.

"Wh-What was that?!" the olive green haired boy exclaimed as he jumped behind his childhood friend and gripped her shoulder with one hand.

Nagisa turned towards the two, the flashlight was turned upright at his face, giving him somewhat of a ghostly appearance. "Sorry." he apologized with an innocent smile on his face. "My foot hit an empty can."

Haru stared blankly at the blonde while Makoto, who was still behind her, slightly glared at him.

"You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?!" the tall man yelled as they all continued walking through the hallway.

"You were always scared of the dark." Nagisa commented.

"You're not helping any at all!"

"Sorry."

Unknown to the trio, a dark silhouette was watching them, specifically a certain ravenette, from behind a corner.

* * *

"This brings back memories." Nagisa said as they all arrived at the old locker rooms.

"It's not as trashed inside much as I expected." Makoto remarked as they all looked through other rooms.

"This is..." the short blonde said as the trio entered a familiar room.

"The lounge." Makoto said as they walked into the room.

"Hurry up!" Nagisa called from where he was, a wall with photo frames hanging on it.

The two childhood friends went over to the blonde and all bent down and looked at a certain picture that had caught his eye.

"This is the picture from when we won the relay." Nagisa said, pointing at the picture.

The photo was of Haru, Rin, Makoto, and Nagisa when they were younger. The redhead boy was smiling widely and had his arm around the girl's shoulder, holding the trophy in his other arm. Haru had her head turned away from the camera with her usual emotionless face, she was smiling happily on the inside though. Makoto was standing besides her with a small smile while he made a peace sign. As for Nagisa, who was the most excited, he held onto Rin's arm and had a fist pumped in the air.

While staring at the picture, Haru suddenly had the memory of the day they won the relay.

* * *

 _Flashback, four years ago_

A young Haru was standing on top of the diving block, waiting for Rin to come back from the other. She remembered the statement the young boy said to her on the day he said he was leaving. She adjust her goggles over her eyes and got into position. The second Rin touched the wall, Haru dove into the water. She sped through the water at top speed, which lead them to win the relay and trophy.

"The four of us won this together, so it doesn't make sense for only one of us to take it home." Rin stated as the four young swimmers stared down at the box that was in the hole they had dug, the trophy was laying inside. The redheaded boy picked up the lid and placed it on top of the box, closing it. "So lets put it in a time capsule and dig it up when we're grown up." he said as he looked everyone. However, when he looked at Haru, he grinned. "Romantic, huh?"

Haru was slightly taken aback by that. She quickly got over it and turned her head to the side, her face going back to her usual emotionless expression. However, if one looked closer, a small, barely noticeable, pink blush had appeared on her cheeks.

 _End Flashback_

* * *

"Haru, let's go." Makoto's voice brought the ravenette back from her reminiscing.

"Yeah..." Haru said before she gazed at the picture one last time before she and her male companions continued walking through the old buildings hallway.

"Do you think the marker is still there?" Nagisa asked as he led the way with his flashlight.

"Can we pick up the pace a little?" Makoto asked as he walked behind his childhood friend, holding on to the back of her hoodie.

Then he suddenly stopped, causing Haru to stop walking as well. When she looked at the taller boy, she saw he was looking down a corridor. She turned her head to look down as well and saw a figure at the end. She also heard the sound of approaching footsteps. Makoto flinched, giving a small squeak-like sound, when he saw the figure coming towards them.

When the figure's head rose up, Haru caught sight of a red eye, which caused her breath to hitch and her own eyes to widen slightly.

"Yo." the figure greeted in a deep, male voice when he reached the trio.

"Huh? Who's there?" Nagisa asked, confused.

"I can't tell." Makoto said.

"I didn't think I'd run into you guys here." the figure said as he slipped his finger into the back of the cap he was wearing and released it.

Realization dawned on the two boys.

"Rin/Rin-chan!" they cried out in unison.

When he took off his cap, showing his entire face, a bored expression was seen on Matsuoka Rin's face.

"You're back from Australia!" Nagisa said as he grabbed the taller boy's arm, a wide smile was on his face.

"What are you doing here, though?" Makoto asked, confused and surprised.

However, Rin didn't pay them any attention, as he was too busy staring at the tall ravenette, who was staring right back at him.

"This must be fate!" Nagisa said. "Some unseen force must have brought us all here at this exact-"

"Haru, are you still hanging out with these guys?" Rin asked the young woman, cutting off the blonde.

Makoto and Nagisa stared at the redhead, surprised by his sudden question. As for Haru, she was just staring at him with a straight face.

When he didn't get a reply, Rin chuckled. "You never learn."

"What are you talking about, Rin?" Makoto asked, not sure what the redhead meant.

"And what about you? Have you learned anything?" Haru, finally speaking, asked in monotone as she pushed one of her bangs out of her face.

"Haru?" the olive haired teen said, confused by the young woman's question.

"I'm glad you asked." Rin, smirking, said as he put one of his hands behind his neck, stretching it out, as well as cracking it. "Why don't I show you? Let's race, Haru." he said as he motioned with his cap for the slightly shorter girl to follow him as he walked to where the old pool was.

"Race?" Makoto repeated.

Haru walked pass her male companions and started following the redhead.

"Wait, Haru!" the olive green haired teen called out, trying to stop his childhood friend but did not succeed.

"Did they just ditch us?" Nagisa asked as he and the taller boy watched the young male and female walk ahead of them.

"Looks like it." Makoto said.

The two looked at each other for a few seconds.

"Wait!" they both called out as the rushed after the other two.

* * *

"I'll show you how different we are now." Rin stated as took off his shirt, exposing his muscular torso, and tossed it aside.

"Sure. Go ahead." Haru said in monotone.

"They're going to swim here?" Nagisa asked, gaping in surprise with Makoto.

"Wait, hold on a second." the olive green haired teen said softly.

Haru grabbed the end of her hoodie with one hand, and used her other to undo the belt on her jeans.

"Haru, that's a bad idea!" Makoto exclaimed when he saw what the female was doing.

The ravenette ignored her childhood friend. She pulled her hoodie over her head and tossed aside, as well as allowing her jeans to fall to the ground, exposing her black, with purple stripes running down the sides, and backless one piece swimsuit.

"Wait, have you been wearing that the entire day?!" Makoto yelled in disbelief.

"Rin-chan too?" Nagisa said, causing the taller boy to turn his gaze towards the redhead, who was stretching out his legs while wearing long black, with red stripes, swimming trunks.

"We have to stop them!" the olive green haired teen said as he faced the shorter boy.

"Do we really?" Nagisa asked, a look of innocence on his face.

"Hey!"

Then the two swimmers starting waking towards the diving blocks, looking straight at each other. Their walking soon turned into running and they jumped onto the blocks.

"Let's do this, Haru!" Rin exclaimed as he placed the goggles he had over his eyes. Both he and the young female got into a position to dive in. "Ready, go-" the redhead stopped when he and Haru noticed that there was no water in the pool.

"There isn't any water." Nagisa stated as he shone his flashlight on a spot in the waterless pool, a small mouse running away when the light shone on it.

"That's why I told you both to stop." Makoto sighed.

Rin 'tsked' as he got off his block and started walking away. "Lame." he growled softly.

Haru got off of her block and looked towards the redhead, who was looking through his bag for something.

"Oh, yeah. Did you guys come here for this?" Rin asked as he swung his jacket over his shoulder and tossed a familiar trophy in the air before he caught it.

"Oh, our trophy." Nagisa stated the obvious.

"I don't need this thing anymore." the redhead said as his eyes seem to go dark, staring at the trophy that symbolized the group's friendship and victory. Then he started to walk off, dropping the trophy to the ground without a care in the world.

"Hey!" Makoto exclaimed as he and Nagisa tried to catch the trophy before it fell.

However, it ended up on the ground anyway.

"Rin-chan..." the short blonde said as they all watched the redhead's retreating figure. "He's kinda changed."

Unknown to him and Makoto, Haru was staring at the leaving swimmer with a slightly saddened expression.

* * *

Haru opened her eyes and found herself laying on the grass at her school, her arms resting behind her head. "A dream?" she questioned with a blank face.

"No, it wasn't a dream!" Makoto, who was sitting besides the ravenette with Nagisa, exclaimed.

"I don't get it though." the short blonde said, crossing his arms. "Rin-chan was acting really strange."

"Look-alike." Haru suggested.

Makoto sweatdropped. "Why would a look-alike challenge you to a race?" he asked.

"It was a ghost, then." the tall girl said as she closed her eyes and turned on her side, her back now facing the boys.

"He wasn't floating." Nagisa pointed out.

"Doppelganger."

"Oh, that takes me back!" Makoto said. "We used to do that at the swimming club! Super Fusion: Doppelga-"

"Makoto, keep it down." Haru cut off her childhood friend in a lazy voice while Nagisa yawned.

"What's wrong with you guys?!" the olive green haired teen exclaimed as he stood up.

"Sorry, I wasn't listening." the short blonde apologized, feigning innocence, as he turned in his position to face the taller boy.

As for Haru, she pulled herself into a sitting position to also face her childhood friend.

"Hey!" Makoto whined.

As the three carried on with whatever they were doing, a familiar redheaded girl stood a few feet away and watched them with interest.

"Do you know those guys?" a brunette asked as she came over to stand next to the other female.

"Uh-huh." Gou nodded.

"Don't you remember, Haru?" Makoto asked the ravenette.

"No." Haru replied simply, causing the blonde boy to laugh.

"What? Why not?"

"Must be a generation gap." Nagisa teased.

"I'm only one year older than you! And Haru's the same age as me! " the olive green haired teen shouted.

"Nanase Haruka. Tachibana Makoto. Hazuki Nagisa. What they all have in common is that they all used to belong to the same swimming club. And, aside from Nanase Haruka, they are boys with girlish names." Gou explained.

"What's your relationship with them?" Hana asked/whispered in her friend's ear.

"That's a secret." the redhead girl said, placing a finger to her lips.

"That means you have something in common with them, too." the brunette whispered again. "Since you're a girl with a boyish name."

"Seriously. Stop calling me Gou!" Gou yelled in annoyance.

* * *

"Come on!" a male voice sighed from the faculty office.

Inside, a teacher was scolding Makoto and Nagisa when he heard about their late night trip to the abandoned swimming club.

"The place may be abandoned, but it is still trespassing if you enter it without permission! Do you understand?"

"I apologize." Makoto said, bowing his head slightly.

"We're sorry." Nagisa said, bowing his head slightly as well.

The teacher sighed. Then he noticed something, or someone, was missing. "Huh? Where's Nanase?"

"She left early this afternoon." the olive green haired teen replied.

"Again?" the teacher groaned.

"Now, now. I think that's enough." Ms. Amakata said as she went over to the three. "Think back to what Li Bai once said." she stuck her finger in the air. "In human life, accomplishment must bring total joy. Do not allow an empty goblet face the moon. You only have one life, so you should do what you want. It would be foolish not to drink from the glass placed before you. Right?"

After the teacher finished quoting, the students and other teacher just stared her.

"Huh?" Ms. Amakata became slightly worried that she did, or said, something wrong.

* * *

"Matsuoka Rin, Matsuoka Rin..." Nagisa mumbled to himself as he tried to find said name on the row of lockers he was looking through. "Does he really go to our school?"

"If he's back from Australia, he might have transferred into our school." Makoto said as he searched through the nameplates of different lockers.

"But I didn't see him at the opening ceremony." Nagisa remarked from his spot, which was on the other side of the room.

While the short blonde said that, the taller boy peered through one row of lockers. Then he gasped when he found 'Matsuoka' on one of the lockers.

"Found him!" Makoto exclaimed.

"Really?" Nagisa asked as he rushed over to where the olive green haired teen was.

"No, hold on." Makoto said as he looked at the name again. "Matsuoka Gou? he read from the nameplate. "That sounds familiar..." he thought for a few moments until he remember the girl with red hair and eyes he saw. "I remember now! That was Rin's little sister, Matsuoka Gou!"

* * *

Haru sat in her bathtub, wearing her swimsuit like always, tapping her foot a few times. She heard the sound of the doorbell ringing. However, she ignored it and submerged her entire head under the water, the top of her legs sticking out.

Outside the house, Gou stood in front of the door after she rang the doorbell a few times. After waiting a few moments without getting an answer, the young girl sighed silently to herself and turned around to walk around. However, she stopped when she saw Makoto and Nagisa standing a few feet away from her, both smiling.

* * *

The three teenagers moved from Haru's house and where now sitting under a small gazebo that had a view of the ocean.

"So you chose Iwatobi High School, Gou-chan." Nagisa said to the redhead girl.

"Don't call me Gou." Gou frowned. "Everybody calls me Kou."

"Huh? Why?" the blonde asked, genuinely confused. "Your name is Gou, like the Sengoku warlord Azai Nagamasa's third daughter, right?"

"Yeah..." the young girl muttered. "But the typical reading is Kou, so call me that. That would be the nice thing to do."

"Uh, putting that stuff aside..." Makoto finally spoke up, slightly nervous when he two freshman started to argue.

"That stuff?" Gou repeated, narrowing her at the taller boy, making him flinch.

"Sorry." the olive green haired teen apologized quietly. "But what are you doing at Haru's place?"

"Oh..." the redheaded girl spoke hesitantly for a second as she scratched her cheek slightly. "I wanted to ask her about my Onii-chan."

"So Rin is really back from Australia?" Makoto asked.

"He returned last month and he's attending Samezuka Academy now. It's a boarding school, so he hasn't come home."

"Samezuka?" Makoto repeated in amazement. "The swimming powerhouse?"

* * *

"No." Haru said, without hesitation, to the two boys who were in her house, rubbing her wet head with a towel, her face blank.

"Let's visit Samezuka Academy!" Nagisa insisted.

"Don't you want to see Rin?" Makoto asked.

"We saw him yesterday." the ravenette stated.

The olive green haired teen sighed. "Here I was starting to think you had finally get to swim if you came. Samezuka is supposed to have an indoor pool."

The second she heard the word 'pool', Haru stopped drying her hair and gazed up at the taller boy with a hopeful look in her eyes.

* * *

That evening, the trio was seating in a train car, waiting to get to their destination. A sleeping Makoto was slumped over in his seat while a sleeping Nagisa was leaning his head on Haru's shoulder. As the two slept, the young woman turned her gaze to the trains window, watching the scenery go by with her usual expressionless face.

* * *

After the train ride, the three students finally made it to Samezuka Academy.

"Do you see Rin-chan?" Nagisa asked as he and Makoto looked through a window, giving them a view of the people swimming in the academy's indoor pool.

"I don't see him." the olive green haired teen replied. "Maybe he's out today." he looked over his shoulder. "Hey, Haru..."

He stopped when he saw that his childhood friend had started to take off her uniform, only standing there in her white unbuttoned shirt, exposing part of her swimsuit, her bow-tie, her skirt, and her socks and shoes.

"Don't take your clothes here!" Makoto exclaimed as he stopped the young woman from removing her skirt.

"You're the one who brought me here to swim!" Haru said, a slight scowl on her face.

"Hold on, Haru." Nagisa spoke up. "Let's wait until practice is over with and everyone else is gone. Okay?"

"We'll still trespassing." Makoto pointed out.

"It'll be fine." the blonde reassured the taller boy, winking as he stuck his finger in the air. "That teacher earlier told us to do want we want with out li-"

He stopped when he and Makoto saw Haru pulling down her skirt, now standing there in her swimsuit.

"Can't you wait?!" the olive green haired teen exclaimed.

* * *

Later that night, everyone in the academy's swimming club had returned to their dorm rooms, leaving the indoor pool empty.

"I think this it a bad idea." Makoto remarked as he, Haru, and Nagisa walked into the building. Then he noticed his childhood friend had already taken off her clothes, leaving her standing there in her backless one piece. "Wait!" he cried out.

Haru ignored him and quickly jumped into the pool with a large splash.

"Come on..." the olive green haired teen sighed as he and the short blonde watched the young woman swim through the water gracefully.

"Haru-chan still reminds me of a dolphin." Nagisa commented. He turned to the taller boy. "Mako-chan, let's join her."

"Hell no!" Makoto shouted. "We'll get in trouble if we're found out. Anyway, we need to look for Rin."

"We can take a little dip first." the short blonde said as he removed his uniform. "Nobody will find us if we don't turn on the lights."

"But you didn't bring a swimsuit." the olive green haired boy pointed out.

"A little skinny dipping, then." Nagisa said as he took off his underwear as well.

"What?!" Makoto exclaimed, his mouth gaping in shock.

"I can swim!"

"Hey, wait! Haru's in there!"

The short blonde ignored the older boy and jumped into the water with a loud splash. Makoto just stood there and facepalmed.

"Mako-chan, come over here." Nagisa called from his spot in the pool.

"What now?" the young man asked as he walked over to end of the pool. "I'm not going to join you-"

He was cut off when a hand grab his foot and pulled him forward.

"You got to be kidding me!" Makoto yelled as he fell forward into the pool with a large splash.

Nagisa laughed as the older boy rose from the water, pointing his finger at him. "You look like elephant falling in."

"Seriously..." Makoto said as he shook a little bit from anger. Then he threw off his uniform shirt and started advancing on the blonde. "Nagisa..."

"Take this!" Nagisa exclaimed as he splashed water the older boy.

"There!" the olive green haired teen splashed him back.

While the two boys splashed each other back and forth, Haru had stopped swimming through the water and was now floating freely through it. Her eyes were closed with an expression of pure ecstasy on her face, her long hair fanning out in the water. Suddenly, the loud sound of a door opening and closing echoed throughout the building.

"What are you guys doing here?" Rin, wearing his school uniform, asked as he walked towards the pool.

"Rin!" Makoto said as he and the blonde ceased their splashing.

"We came here to see you." Nagisa stated.

"Get out!" the redhead yelled harshly, surprising the other boys.

"Rin-chan..."

Suddenly, Haru rose from the water in front of Makoto and Nagisa, her head bowed down.

"Free..." she said quietly.

"Huh?" Rin responded, slightly confused from what the young woman said.

"Did you forget?" the ravenette asked, her head still down. "I told you that I only swim freestyle."

"Haru-chan?"

"Haru..."

'About three more years until I'm ordinary.' Haru thought as she pulled herself out of the pool. 'I guess it wouldn't hurt to wait a little bit longer.' she shook her head back and forth a few times before she stopped and, with a flick of her wrist, flicked her hair out of her face. Then she looked at the redhead. "I want you to show me that sight again." she said, a small smile gracing her lips. "I've forgotten what it was that I saw."

Rin stared at the slightly shorter girl, a bit shocked from what she said and the sudden small smile.

"Sure, I can do that." he said fiercely. "But it won't be the same this time. I'll be showing you something completely different."

The two swimmers stared at one another.

 _To be continued..._

* * *

 **Finally done. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please tell me what you think about it in your reviews. Until next time.**


	2. Memories In The Distance!

**Enjoy the chapter. Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

Chapter Two: Memories in the Distance

* * *

"As always, I can't make any sense of you." Rin, now only wearing his swimming trunks, remarked as he and Haru, whose hair was now in a high ponytail, got onto the starting blocks.

"Whatever." the ravenette said nonchalantly as she adjusted her goggles over her eyes. "You better get ready, Rin."

"And you're as cold as ever." the redhead commented dryly . "Yeah... you really piss me off."

"Makoto." Haru called over to her childhood friend, who was standing and watching from the sides with Nagisa, who was now wearing his pants. "Please give us the start signal."

"Okay." the olive green haired teen said, nodding in a agreement.

"We'll race 100 meters, freestyle." Rin stated as he and the young woman got into position.

"Ready, go!" Makoto shouted.

The two swimmers quickly dove into the water, Rin landed a few feet ahead of Haruka.

"Wow! Rin-chan has a stronger kick!" Nagisa exclaimed in amazement.

"But..." Makoto spoke up. "Haru's stroke is faster."

The two boys just stood and watched the two swimmers race through the water, Haru starting to catch up to Rin a little. Soon, the two were almost done with the 100 meters, the ravenette still behind the redhead, but still catching up a little.

"Haru's so good." Makoto commented.

"Yep." Nagisa agreed. "She lost ground to Rin-chan on every turn, but she's nearly caught up with him now!"

'Damn! I can't shake her!' Rin mentally exclaimed as he and Haru swam closer to the other end of the pool.

"They're making the last turn!" Makoto said, stating the obvious, as he watched the two swimmers with suspense as they cut through the water.

The two swimmers flipped.

"Who hit first?!" the short blonde asked.

"Too close to tell!" the olive green haired teen replied.

Haru and Rin kicked themselves off of the wall to propel themselves forward, starting to swim to the other end.

"They're neck and neck!" Nagisa exclaimed.

"No, Rin's legs put him ahead after the turn!" Makoto said. "Haru..."

In the water, Haru noticed that Rin was still a few feet ahead of her. She forced all of the will and energy she had into trying to catch up with him. Suddenly, as she kept swimming, a strange sensation overcame her. Haru felt herself floating in the water, nothing there but her and the water, nothing but silence was heard. Her face was blank as always as she floated and stared up at the light that was shining through the water.

'I've seen this before.' Haru thought. 'This sensation...' she closed her eyes. 'I get it now. This is what I wanted. No need to rely on or work with other people. I just want to drift through the water in silence.'

The ravenette was pulled from her thoughts when she felt her hand touch the wall of the pool.

"Haru-chan!"

"Haru!"

Makoto and Nagisa knelt down in front of the lane their female friend was in.

Rin removed his swimming cap and goggles and slammed his fist in the water. "Yes!" he yelled. He turned to look at the young woman in the lane next to his and immediately noticed her hard panting.

As soon as she caught her breath, Haru turned to the redhead, her face expressionless like always. "You won." she said in monotone. "Good for you, Rin."

"Good for you?" Rin repeated, growling. Then he grabbed her goggles, which were now hanging around her neck, and pulled her closer to him.

Haru's face remained blank as the redhead glared at her with his piercing red eyes.

"Is that all you have to say?" Rin asked through his gritted, shark-like canines.

"What do you want me to say?" the young woman asked in a whispered voice, her breath feeling warm on the redhead's wet skin.

Rin noticed exactly how close he and Haru were, her ample chest pressed up against his. A feel of embarrassment filled up in him. Tsking, the redhead released his hold on the ravenette's goggles and pulled away from her, a barely noticeable pink blush on his cheeks.

"You're so frustrating." Rin remarked before he climbed out of the pool. He gave one last glance at the tall ravenette. Then he turned around, gathered up his uniform, and left the pool without a word.

* * *

After the race, at two-twenty AM, the redheaded swimmer was in his dorm room, laying on his bed with his arms behind his head. He was thinking about the race until he was pulled from his thought when he heard his phone go off. He sat up, grabbed his phone, and saw he got a text message from his little sister.

"Gou?"

 _From: Matsuoka Gou_

 _Subject:_

 _Did you get to see Nanase-san and the other guys?_

"Damn it!" Rin growled as he threw his phone across the room. 'Does this mean that I can never beat her?' he thought as he buried his face in his hand.

* * *

Meanwhile, Haru was sitting in her bathtub with her swimsuit on, staring at the ceiling absentmindedly. Then she cupped her hands together in the water and squirted some water at a small, toy dolphin figurine that was sitting on a shelf that was near the bathroom mirror. Haru sighed before slipping further into the water.

* * *

The next morning, at Iwatobi High School

"Idiots!" the teacher (from the last chapter) yelled at the three students in the faculty office. "Do you actually feel bad about what you've done?!"

"Sorry." Makoto and Nagisa apologized in unison as they bowed their heads.

Haruka just stood and kept her blank expression.

"First you trespass in an abandoned building, now you trespass in another school's pool?! Honestly, we're lucky that they've agreed not to make a big deal about it."

"Now, now. I think that's enough." Ms. Amakata said as she walked over to them. "There's a famous saying that applies to this situation. In Ancient China during the Shang Dynasty, Duke Tai of Qi would fish without any bait..."

"I hate fish." the male teacher cut of the female teacher.

Everyone stood in silence for a bit.

"Excuse me." Ms. Amakata said as she bowed.

* * *

"Ama-chan-sensei wasn't much help." Nagisa remarked as he and Makoto walked down the school's hallway.

"I wonder how that fish saying goes..." the taller boy thought aloud. "Haru, do you know?" he turned around to his childhood friend, only to see she wasn't there. "Huh?"

"Haru-chan is over there." the short blonde said as he pointed at the ravenette, who was outside and walking away.

"When did that happen?" Makoto asked, sighing.

"Ah, Gou-chan!" Nagisa said when he saw the redhead girl walking towards them.

"I told you to call me Kou!" Gou said.

"Does it really matter?" the blonde asked.

"It does matter. I'm Kou!

"Gou."

"Kou!"

"Gou."

"Kou!"

"Kou."

"Gou!" the redhead first year soon realized what she said. "Damn you!" she yelled as she clutched her head, ruffling her hair in frustration as she glared at him.

Nagisa laughed while Makoto chuckled slightly.

* * *

"So were you able to see my Onii-chan?" Gou asked the two boys while they stood on the base of the school stairs.

"Yeah, about that... Rin-chan is so mean!" Nagisa remarked. "We haven't seen each other in four years. And the first thing he does is challenge Haru-chan to a race. He completely ignored me and Mako-chan. We didn't get a chance to talk about anything."

"Have you heard anything from Rin, Kou-chan?" Makoto asked.

The redhead first year shook her head. "I've sent him e-mails and called his cellphone without any luck. I even called his dorm number, but nobody answered."

"How come Rin-chan has changed so much?" Nagisa asked. "Did something happen in Australia?"

"I don't know." Gou admitted. "I was hoping that he would open up after meeting up with you guys."

Something clicked inside Makoto's head. "Are you responsible for Rin showing up at the pool?" he asked.

"I wouldn't say that I was responsible..." the redhead girl said nervously. "I was just trying to help. I had happened to overhear your conversation, so I sent him a message." she explained, remembering the text message she had sent her older brother the day she overheard the boys and girl talking. "But he never answered back."

"Is that why you went to Haru's place yesterday?" the olive green haired teen asked.

"Yes, I was hoping she could have some answers."

"Hey, I have a great idea!" Nagisa suddenly exclaimed excitedly. "Let's start swim club! Then we can see Rin-chan at tournaments."

"Uh, I'm not really sure Haru will be on board with this." Makoto said, doubt written clearly on his face.

* * *

"Whatever. Knock yourself out." Haru said in monotone to the two boys who were in her bathroom while she sat in her bathtub, her swimsuit on.

"Huh?" Makoto said disbelief.

"Really?" Nagisa asked. "Yay! We're good to go then! I'm so excited!" he cheered, throwing his arms up into the air in excitement.

* * *

"Are you sure about this?" Makoto asked Haru, who was currently drying her hair with a towel with her swimsuit still on, as he and the short blonde sat in the ravenette's living room. "We won't be doing this by ourselves. You're expected to take part in this."

"I know." Haru replied. "I just figured Nagisa wouldn't stop asking me until I agreed."

'She's even more beautiful up close.' Gou, who was also sitting in the living room, thought as she stared at the tall female swimmer. 'And she has such an incredible figure. She's perfect for Onii-chan!'

"Oh, yeah. Haru-chan wasn't with us the other day." Nagisa said. "This is Rin-chan's sister."

"I know." the ravenette said. She turned her gaze to the redheaded girl.

"H-Hello." Gou stammered. "It's been a long time."

"Nice to see you again, Kou."

The first year girl smiled widely when the older girl, who she admired greatly, said the name she wanted to be called by. "Yes! I'm sorry about what my Onii-chan did yesterday."

"Don't worry about it." Haru said coolly as she put on her hoodie and walked towards her kitchen and put on an apron.

"Oh, if you're making tea, I have some squid to go with it." Makoto remarked.

"What? Wouldn't chocolate be better?" Nagisa asked.

"We'll do a compromise and have mackerel." Haruka said.

"That's not a compromise." the short blonde said. "I'll give you a hand! Is this okay?"

Out of the corner of her eye, Gou saw a light blue trophy sitting beside the closet that was in the living room, a picture was sitting beside it.

"Is this..."

"Ah, right." Makoto said then he noticed where the younger girl was looking. "That's the trophy the four of us won when we were kids. Rin told us he no longer needed it."

Gou picked up the picture and looked at it. "Everyone's smiling." she commented.

"Actually, Haru's the sole exception in this photo." the olive green haired teen said.

"Haru-chan's is always smiling on the inside." Nagisa remarked as he came over and looked at the picture as well.

"You make her sound like a bad person!" Gou laughed.

"Oh, so is this the first time Rin's come back from Japan since he left?" Makoto asked.

"Actually, he came back every year for New Year's." the redheaded girl said, turning to the boys.

"Really?!" Nagisa exclaimed in disbelief. "And he never told us?! That's mean."

In the kitchen, Haru froze from her action of flipping pieces of mackerel when she heard what the others were talking about. Makoto, who had noticed this, turned his head towards his childhood friend.

"Haru?"

* * *

The next day, on the roof of Iwatobi High School during lunch hour

"Since everyone is on board, I picked up a new club application form." Nagisa said, holding a application sheet in his hand.

"You move fast." Makoto commented.

"It's important to get the ball rolling." the short blonde remarked. He look at the sheet. "Let's see, the purpose of this club is to train our minds and bodies through swimming and improve the school experience."

"And you know what you're doing." the olive green haired boy said.

"There will be three members initially." Nagisa continued. "Mako-chan will be the captain."

"Uh, shouldn't it be Haru?" Makoto asked, pointing at the ravenette sitting next to him. "She's the fastest swimmer."

"This isn't about speed." the first year said. "Different people are better at different things."

The two boys turned their heads to the young woman and stared to think about her being the captain.

"I don't think that would work." Makoto said after thinking for a moment.

"That means that Mako-chan is the captain, and Haru-chan will be the vice-captain." Nagisa stated.

Haru stopped eating her food after she heard this. "Hey, don't just volunteer me." she complained, looking at the short blonde.

"Now, now, now." Nagisa said. "Vice-captain is just an empty title with no actually responsibilities, so don't worry." he reassured her.

"You just offended every offended ever vice-captain on this planet." Makoto remarked.

"I'll be the treasurer, which means we only need a faculty adviser."

"Any ideas?" the olive green haired boy asked.

"I was thinking we could ask Ama-chan-sensei." the first year replied.

A look of surprise came onto Haru's and Makoto's faces.

"Ama-chan-sensei?" the tallest of the three repeated.

"I heard a crazy story from one of our classmates." the short blonde said.

* * *

In the faculty office

"What? I can't do it. Sports aren't my thing. I mean, I teach classic literature." Ms. Amakata said to the Makoto and Nagisa after they asked her to be the faculty adviser.

"But I heard that until last year, you had a job in Tokyo that involved swimsuits." the first year said.

The brown haired teacher's face turned blue. She shot up from her seat. "Not so loud!" she whispered. "Who did you hear that from?"

"I was Nashimoto-kun, from our class." Nagisa answered.

"Did you work for a swimsuit designer, sensei?" Makoto asked.

"Y-Yes, you could say that..." Ms. Amakato stammered.

"In that case, we would be thrilled to have you advise us about the technology that goes into competitive swimwear!" the tall boy said.

"Eh?"

"Advise us!" Nagisa said.

"Eh?"

"Please!" the two boys begged.

Ms. Amakata held up her hands. "If you really need me..."

"Thank you very much!" Makoto said gratefully.

"Yay!" Nagisa cheered.

As for Haru, she was just leaning against a window that was in the faculty room. She turned to her head to look out the window. She shut her eyes when the rays of the sun got in her eyes.

* * *

Meanwhile, at Samezuka Academy

"I'm Matsuoka Rin's sister." Gou said to the man that was sitting in the office in one of the school's dorms. "I'm here to visit him."

"Oh, it looks like Matsuoka-kun isn't back yet." the man said.

"Really."

Since that didn't work as she planned, Gou decided to go to the academy's indoor pool, hoping her older brother would be there.

"Excuse me..." she said quietly as she entered a room that had windows where you could look into the pool area. She looked through a window and gave a silent gasp.

'Incredible...' she thought. 'Totally a prestigious school's swimming school. Traps and pecs everywhere! They're gorgeous!'

"Hey, so it's you?" a male voice asked, pulled the redheaded girl out of her thoughts.

Gou turned her head and saw a tall young man with slicked back orange hair and orange eyes. He was wearing the school's swimming jacket, showing he was a member of the club.

"The one who's looking for her big brother?" the man asked.

"Oh, yes." the first year girl replied.

"Hold on." the man said. "You know..." a small blush appeared on his cheeks. "You're really cute."

Gou smiled politely. "Thank you. I'm looking for Matsuoka Rin, my brother."

"Matsuoka?" the orange haired man repeated the last name. "There's nobody named Matsuoka on the swim team."

"Huh?"

* * *

That night, at the old swimming club.

Rin was walking down the abandoned hallway of the old building and came into the room that was once the lounge. He went over to the wall where the old photos hung. He immediately noticed that the one with him and the others when they were kids was missing from it's frame. Rin then turned his gaze to an photo that was hanging on the wall. It was a picture of four young boys after they have won a swimming tournament, one of the boys was holding a trophy in his arm. Rin stared at a picture a moment longer until he sighed and closed his eyes.

* * *

The next day, at Iwatobi High School, in the faculty office.

"Now, in regard to the swim club charter that you submitted..." Ms. Amakata said to Haru, Makoto, and Nagisa. "After a strict review by the faculty, it was approved!" she said happily, showing the three students the charter they had turned in.

"Really?" Makoto asked.

"Awesome! I knew we could count on a former swimsuit company employee!" Nagisa cheered.

"Th-That's right..." Ms. Amakata turned her head to the side, avoiding eye contact with the students.

Haru just kept her face emotionless, although she was very happy on the inside.

"This is what I can do when I set my mind to it." the brown haired teacher continued. "However, a school organization is required to have four members, so you'll need to find one more person. And there is one more condition."

"No problem!" Nagisa said enthusiastically. "I'm willing to do anything!"

* * *

Later, the teacher and students were standing in front of the school's old pool, weeds growing out of the cracks that were in there.

"Wow, so much nature." Nagisa remarked. "Are you saying that..."

"Yes, you must restore this pool to a usable state." Ms. Amakata said.

Both Haru and Makoto stared to slowly back away. However, Nagisa and Amakata grabbed both of their wrists.

"You're not allowed to run away." the short blonde said, smiling innocently.

"You said you were willing to do anything." the teacher pointed out, smiling just as innocently.

The ravenette and olive green haired boy gaped at the two.

Soon, the three students started working on pulling out weeds from the pool. After an hour or so of physical labor, there laid a large pile of weeds in the pool. Then Makoto pointed out the cracks in the pool. The next day, Ms. Amakata drove the three students to a nearby hardware store. While looking for the proper supplies, Makoto and Nagisa had to stop Haru from taking off her clothes and getting into a tank filled with water. The day after that, three of them decided to make a flyer for the club. The one made by Nagisa was, well, let's just say he's was very flashy. While the one made by Haru could be considered a masterpiece. The two boys had to stop people from the art club from dragging their female friend away to join their club. Next, the started working on fixing the pool.

* * *

"Haru?" Makoto called out as he opened the door to the roof during lunch hour. "Huh? She's not here?" he questioned when he didn't see the ravenette.

Makoto looked down from the roof and stared at the nearby completed swimming pool. He was surprised to see his childhood friend cleaning the pool clean. Then he smiled.

* * *

"It's cleaned up rather nicely." Ms. Amakata commented, sitting down in a chair with an umbrella over her, to the three students as they continued to clean the pool.

"Can't you get out of that chair and give us a hand?" Nagisa asked.

"Do you realize what you're saying? The UV rays this time of year are brutal. "You're still young, so it's not an issue."

"This is pretty fun." Makoto said to Haru as they both painted a spot on one of the pool's wall. "Feels like we're back in grade school."

"Grade schoolers wouldn't be asked to fix a pool." the ravenette remarked, her face blank as usual.

"True." the olive green haired boy said, smiling like he usual does.

"Wow, it's all cleaned up!" Gou said excitedly as she walked into the pool area, a bag in her hands.

"Ah! Are you here to help, Gou-chan?" Nagisa asked.

"I have told you to call me Kou!" the redheaded girl said. "Otherwise, you won't be getting any of this." she told him, lifting up the bag she was holding.

"What? You can't be serious!"

* * *

That evening, at Samezuka Academy

Rin was sitting on his bed while staring at the picture he had taken from the old swimming club.

* * *

The next day, at Iwatobi High School

"No luck!" Nagisa whined as he laid down on the bench that was in the old swimming club's locker room. "Nobody wants to join."

This morning, the first year had tried to get people to join the swimming club. However, he couldn't get a single person interested.

"It's starting to look like we fixed the pool for nothing." Makoto sighed, sitting in a chair.

"Don't say that!" the short blonde said, not wanting to admit defeat. Suddenly, an idea came to him. He sat up and turned his head towards Haru, who was sitting in a corner as she skillfully craved the school's mascot, Iwatobi-chan, out of wood. "It's time to use our last resort..." Nagisa said as he turned his head back to the taller student.

"Last resort?" Makoto repeated.

"We tell people that they'll see Haru-chan in her swimsuit if they join the club!" the short blonde said.

"Eh?!" Makoto exclaimed.

"I'm sure we'll get a ton of members that way." Nagisa remarked confidently. "It'll be easy, since Haru-chan has so much sex appeal."

"I-I don't feel comfortable with having my childhood friend using her sex appeal." the olive green haired boy said, blushing slightly from the thought. "Besides, I don't think Haru will agree to do that."

"Then we have Ama-chan-sensei do it."

"Excuse me..."

The two boys flinched at the sudden female voice and turned towards the door. Standing there was Ms. Amakata with a dark aura surrounding her, which was quite surprising to them.

"If you do that, I'll immediately quit." the brown haired teacher said to them as she walked over to them. "I swore to myself that I would never put on a swimsuit ever again!" she smiled innocently at the two boys. "Understood? Are we clear?"

"Crystal." the first and second year students replied, completely scared of their teacher right this moment.

* * *

"I'll just leave the juice here." Gou said as knelt down besides Makoto, who was repainting the fence that surrounded the pool, and set down the bag she was carrying.

"Thanks." the olive green haired boy said.

"I don't get it, though." the redheaded girl thought aloud.

"Get what?" Makoto asked.

"Why didn't you try to start a swim club when you were first years?"

"Haru wasn't interested."

"But she's such a good swimmer." Gou remarked.

"Haru joined the swim club in middle school, but she quit at the end of out first year." Makoto explained.

"Do something happen?" the first year girl asked.

"No idea." the second year boy said honestly. "She didn't want to talk about it. Our old swimming club was shut down around the same time, and Haru hasn't done any competitive swimming since."

Gou looked over at the older girl, who was in the pool with Nagisa while repainting a spot on the wall.

"So she wanted to quit swimming." she remarked.

"Probably." Makoto said.

"I wonder if my Onii-chan is the same way." Gou thought aloud.

"Huh?"

"I was looking for my Onii-chan the other day, and found out he's not on the swim team. He transferred to Samezuka Academy, but he didn't join the swim club." the redhead girl explained.

"No way." Makoto said, surprised by this sudden piece of information. "I mean, he just raced Haru and..." he trailed off.

"He must have lost." Gou remarked. "That's why he's given up on swimming."

"No, that can't be it." the olive green haired said. "I mean when they raced that night..."

Makoto then started to explained the events that had happened that night at Samezuka Academy.

"What?!" the redhead girl exclaimed in disbelief. "My Onii-chan won?!"

"Yeah, didn't Rin tell you?" the second year asked.

Gou shook her head. "He didn't respond, so I thought he was upset about losing."

"He didn't seem very happy about winning. In fact, I'd say that Haru was more..."

Once again, Makoto explained what had happened between the two swimmers.

"That was when we were found by a teacher who heard all of the noise."

"I don't get why she would say that after she lost." Gou commented, confused by what she heard about the ravenette.

The olive green haired boy smiled. "Haru just wanted to swim." he said. He looked down at his childhood friend, who was still in the pool with the blonde first year. "She's back to her old self. Haru was never one to care about winning or improving her time.

The redhead first year stared at the back of the older girl. "Will my Onii-chan also go back to his old self?" she questioned.

Suddenly, a memory appeared in her mind. She remembered when she was younger and watched her brother and his friends winning the swimming tournament. She also remember how happy Rin looked when they won.

"You still need one more member, right?" Gou asked Makoto.

"That's right." the olive green haired boy replied.

"Please let me join!" the first year shouted.

"Eh?" Makoto was taken aback by this.

A smile formed on Gou's lips. "You're the only ones who can change my Onii-chan. If your willing to let me, I can serve as your manger and help you out!

"Ooh, ooh. What's going on?" Nagisa asked as he stopped what he was doing.

"Kou-chan offered to join the swim club!" Makoto replied happily.

"What? Really?!" the blonde asked excitedly. "That means the swim club is officially open for business! Yay!"

Unknown to all three of them, a small smile made it's way onto Haru's lips when she heard what the blonde said.

"Thank you, Gou-chan!" Nagisa shouted.

"How many times do I have to tell you?!" Gou yelled as she stood up. She started to walk a bit towards the edge of the pool. "It's Kou-Ah!" suddenly, she tripped on her own feet and fell forward.

"Kou-chan/Gou-chan!" Makoto and Nagisa yelled in unison when they saw the redheaded girl falling down towards the bottom of the pool.

Gou shut her eyes closed and waited to hit the solid ground of the pool. Then, out of nowhere, two arms caught the first year before she hit the ground.

"Eh?" Gou opened her eyes and found herself staring into a pair of ocean blue eyes.

"Are you alright, Kou?" Haru asked the younger girl, who she was holding bridal-style.

"Y-Yes..." the redheaded girl stammered, suddenly feeling a bit embarrassed.

The ravenette gave a small sigh of relief. "That's good." she said as she set Gou gently on the ground. "You should be a bit more careful."

"T-Thank you very much, Haru-sempai." the first year girl said appreciatively, a small red blush dusting her cheeks.

"I'm just glad you're okay." Haru said, her face expressionless. Then she placed her hand on the younger girl's cheek. "It wouldn't be good if your cute face got all scratched."

"E-Eh?!" the blush on Gou's face turned a darker red.

Makoto and Nagisa just blinked and stared at the scene in front of them, both of them swearing they saw sparkles surrounding the two girls.

"Kou, your face is really red." the tall young woman observed, slight worry lacing her voice. "Are you getting a fever?" she asked as she placed her forehead on top of the first year's.

Gou's blush increased again. She moaned slightly before she fainted, falling backwards. She would have fallen if Haru didn't catch her.

"She must be sick." the ravenette said as she gathered up Gou in her arms, carrying her bridal-style once again. "I'll go and take her to the nurse's office." she told her two male friends before she started walking away to get out of the pool to take the first year to the nurse's office.

"Haru-chan is like a knight." Nagisa remarked as he and Makoto watched their female friend walk away with Gou in her arms.

* * *

"So, how was Kou-chan?" Makoto asked his childhood friend watched home together after school.

"She woke up a few minutes after I brought her to the nurse's office." Haru replied. "She said she was fine, but her face was still very red."

"I think was because of you, Haru." the olive green haired boy remarked.

"Huh?" the ravenette tilted her head to the side, not getting what he meant.

"So, what do you think about Kou-chan?" Makoto asked, changing the subject.

"She very cheerful." the tall young woman said. "She's also very cute."

"Yeah, she is. It's really good to see you two getting along. It's also nice to see you have another girl as a friend."

"Not only that, I also get this feeling about her."

"Feeling?" the tall young man repeated.

"It's a feeling I've never felt before." Haru said as she placed a hand on her chest, right where her heart was. "It's kinda like..." an unreadable emotion shined in her eyes, her face blank like always. "I just want to protect her."

"You don't have to become any manlier than that!" Makoto exclaimed, sweatdropping.

'I'm a bit worried.' the raventte thought to herself, ignoring her childhood friend. 'I'm worried that Kou wouldn't want to be friends with me, considering the problems me and her brother have.'

Then Haru felt a hand on her head. She looked up and saw her childhood friend smiling at her.

"Don't worry." Makoto told her. "I'm sure Kou-chan will still want to be friends with you, despite what you and Rin are going through."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Haru, not wanting to admit to the taller teenager that was exactly what she was thinking, huffed as she turned her head away.

That action caused the olive green haired teen to chuckle in amusement.

* * *

Later that night, at the Tachibana residence

"Oh, that's wonderful news." Mrs. Tachibana said after her son explained what he and his friends were doing at their school. "You'll get to swim with everyone again."

"Yeah, we still have a lot of prep work to do." Makoto told his mother.

"That's mine!" Ren yelled at his twin sister, who had taken a piece of food off of his plate. "Don't take it!"

"You never finish it." Ran stated in a matter-of-factly tone.

"I eat my ham!"

"Come on, stop fighting." Makoto said sternly. "You can have some of mine." he said as he placed some of his food on his younger brother's.

"Onii-chan, I want some too!" Ran said.

"There you go." the olive green haired boy did the same with his younger sister.

"Speaking of which, I believe the swimming club you used to go to is finally being torn down." Mr. Tachibana informed his eldest son.

* * *

After dinner, Makoto found himself standing in front of his old swimming club. A couple of construction vehicles nearby.

"Hurts, right?" a male voice said from behind the seventeen teen year old, causing him to jump slightly.

Makoto turned around and saw a middle-aged man with blonde sitting on a pizza delivery bike. For some reason, the looked strangely familiar to the teen.

"It's not easy to watch as your memoirs are destroyed." the man said, staring at the old building. He looked over to Makoto, smiling. "Were about of this club?" he asked.

The olive green haired teen just stared at the older man, just to figure out where he had seen him before.

"Well, you can't go against the times." the man continued. "It's sad."

Makoto's eyes widened as realization dawned upon him.

"Wait, are you... Coach Sasabe?!" he exclaimed in disbelief.

A look of confusion appeared on the man's face.

"It's Makoto!" the teen said, pointing at himself. "Tachibana Makoto!"

A look of realization now dawned on Sasabe Goro's face. "You got real big, Makoto!" he laughed. "I almost didn't recognize you."

"It's been too long!"

"Well, I work part-time as a pizza deliveryman now." Sasabe told him. "Did you come to get one last glimpse?" he asked.

"Is that way you're here?" Makoto asked.

"I thought I'd drop on my way back from delivery." the older man told him. "Are the others doing well?" he asked.

"Yes." the tall teen nodded. "I go to the same school as Haru and Nagisa."

"Are you still friends with Rin?"

Makoto was silent for a moment. "Yes..." he said quietly. "He goes to a different school though."

"Rin's back from Australia, right?" Sasabe asked. "He looked pretty glum when I last saw him, so I was a little worried."

"Glum?" the olive green haired teen repeated.

"Haruka didn't mention it?" the blonde man asked, confused. "I think it was during the winter of your first year of middle school. I was closing the place down for the end of the year when Haruka and Rin showed up. Apparently, they ran into each other while Rin was back home."

"Did they have a race?" Makoto asked.

"That's right. And Haruka won easily. Rin was pretty upset about it. Sasabe sighed. "Can't say I blame him." he said. "He went to a swimming school overseas, and it didn't make a difference."

Makoto was quiet, shocked by what he just heard.

"Is something wrong?" the old swimming coach asked.

"No..." the olive green haired teen said softly. 'I see.' he thought. 'So that's why Haru quit swimming competitively. It's because she hurt Rin.'

* * *

Meanwhile, at the Nanase residence

Haru was sitting in her bathtub, her head tilted to the side with her usual blank stare in place. Then she used her fingers and flicked the toy dolphin that was floating in the water.

* * *

Back with Makoto

The olive green haired teen was standing on the side of the road, trying to make call to certain redhead. However, he didn't answer and Makoto had to leave a message.

"Rin?" the tall teen said into the phone. "It's me, Makoto. We're starting up a swim club. So you should join the swim team. We might get to swim together at tournaments."

* * *

Meanwhile, at Samezuka Academy

"You don't need to tell me that." Rin, laying on his bed, said after he heard the message Makoto left. "I already decided to join the swim team. However... I'm not doing this for a chance to swim with you guys."

* * *

The next day, at Iwatobi High School

"Okay. Here's to the establishment of the new swim club!" Ms. Amakata said cheerfully as everyone stood next to the newly repaired and water filled pool

"Cheers!" everyone cheered as the tapped their juice filled cups together.

"It's not warm enough to start swimming, but we filled the pool as a test run." the brown haired teacher said. "All that's left is to toss these in." she said as she handed the students each a small chlorine tablet.

"There!"

Everyone tossed the tablets into the pool.

"The swim club is finally ready to go." Nagisa remarked.

"Well, we can't get in the pool yet..." Makoto started to say. However, he stopped when he saw his childhood friend take off her clothes. "Wait, Haru!" he shouted. He immediately noticed that she had her swimsuit on. "You were wearing your swimsuit under your clothes again?!"

Ignoring the olive green haired teen, Haru jumped into the water with a loud splash.

"Haru, it's too cold to be swimming right now!" Makoto exclaimed.

The ravenette ignored him again and just floated through the water, her eyes closed with a look of ecstasy on her face, her hair fanning out from under her.

"Oh, dear." Ms. Amakato said.

"I don't see a problem." Nagisa commented. "She looks really comfortable enough."

"That's true." Gou agreed, giggled. "Wait! Her lips are turning blue!" she yelled.

"Get out of the water before you catch a cold, Haru!" Makoto called out.

Once again, Haru ignored them and slipped under the water, swimming away.

"Go, Haru-chan!" the blonde first year cheered on the older girl.

"No! Don't encourage her!" the olive green haired teen said.

"I'll go find a net!" Gou stated.

"Huh? A net?"

 _To be continued..._

* * *

 **Done! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Please let me know what you think in your reviews. Until next time. P.S. I will be adding a new character into the story. P.S.S. The picture I chose for this story often disappears on its own for some reason. If you have any idea on how I can fix that, please PM me and let me know.**


	3. Theoretical Dolphin Kick!

**In this chapter, there will be a new character. She is from the anime School Days, she will be a little OOC. I hope you enjoy the chapter. Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

 **YokaiAngel: Hello! I am YokaiAngel, her beta. Since she hasn't told you in this chapter, I will. Thank you for reading her story and REVIEW PLEASE! She will appreciate it.**

* * *

Chapter Three: Theoretical Dolphin Kick!

* * *

At the Nanase residence

The ravenette was sitting in her living with her two childhood friends, doing nothing as they sat in silence. The silence was broken when the young woman gave a loud sneeze.

"That was loud." Nagisa commented.

"Haru, are you okay?" Makoto asked, concerned.

"My late grandma used to say that you sneeze when someone is talking about you." Haru said, rubbing her nose with a tissue that the olive green haired teen had given her.

"It must be Rin-chan!" the short blonde suddenly exclaimed.

The ravenette was slightly taken aback by this.

"No, I'm pretty sure she's just sick." Makoto said. "It's because you were swimming in the pool in April." he told his childhood.

"I'm not a baby that gets sick when swimm-Achoo!" Haru was cut off by her own sneeze.

"It's too early to be swimming in outdoor pools." the tallest of the teens remarked. "We'll just work out until it gets warmer."

"Oh, I heard from Gou-chan that Rin-chan joined the Samezuka swim team." Nagisa informed.

The ravenette's eyes widened a bit upon hearing this new piece of information.

"Huh?" was all Makoto said, surprised.

"Is something wrong, Mako-chan?" the blonde first year asked.

"No, it's nothing." the olive green haired teen replied, smiling. "But this means we might run into him in a tournament."

"Yep, we should enter tournaments!" Nagisa said excitedly. "Then we could do relays again."

"I only swim freestyle." Haru said simply in monotone, her face blank like always.

"Does this mean you can't swim relays?" the blonde asked. "Don't say that!" he yelled a bit this time.

The ravenette just ignored him and continued to read the magazine she had.

"Come on..." Nagisa whined as he rubbed his head on the taller girl's arm.

"You know, we won't be able to swim in a relay with only three people." Haruka said in a matter-of-factly tone, despite her speaking in monotone.

"That's true." the first year said as he stopped rubbing his head on the ravenette's arm. "Which means..." he shot up, clutching his head. "We still need to find one more member?!" he exclaimed.

* * *

The next day

'We need one more member.' Nagisa thought to himself as he rode the train to his school. 'But it'll be hard to find one right now. I was turned down by everyone I asked last time.' the blonde turned his head up and saw young man, wearing his school's uniform, with blue hair and violet eyes reading a book that was tilted 'Physical Training'. "Ryugazaki-kun?" he questioned. "You go to school by train?"

"Yes." Ryugazaki Rei said simply, taking his eyes off of his book for a second before returning to read it.

"Oh, by the way..." the blonde started to say. "I wanted to ask you a favor, as a classmate..."

"I won't join the swim club." the blue haired teen remarked without hesitation.

"Huh? How did you know before I said anything?" Nagisa asked, shocked.

"It was easy enough to guess." Rei said.

"Huh?"

"Considering the recruiting poster in your bag, and those swimsuit Iwatobi-chan straps you probably plan to give them to recruits." the blue haired teen explained.

Nagisa said nothing, amazed by the other first year's deduction.

"As I mentioned before, I already joined the track team." Rei said before he pushed up his red-framed glasses further up his face. "Goodbye." he said as he walked off the train, which stopped a few moments ago.

"Huh? Why?" Nagisa asked. "The school is at the next station!" he called out.

The blue haired boy ignored him and walked away from the train.

A few minutes later, the blonde first year was watching the other first year running the last stretch to the school from the train's window.

"Wow! He runs the last stretch everyday!" Nagisa exclaimed, impressed.

* * *

Meanwhile

"Where is it?" a ten year old girl asked herself. "I wonder if I got off at the wrong train station..."

The little girl had shoulder-length violet hair and ocean blue eyes. Two strands of her hair were being held up by pink beads. She was wearing a white, long-sleeved button up shirt with the collar pulled down and the cuffs of the sleeves rolled up once. A black vest was over her shirt with pink and dark pink plaid cuffs that stopped a few inches below her shoulder. A matching pink and dark pink plaid tie was tied around her neck, under the collar of her shirt. A brown mini-skirt, that stopped at mid-thigh, with pink polka dots covering it. Finally, she wore thigh-high black socks with pink and dark pink plaid shoes. If anyone asked, this little girl was very cute. Especially with that lost and confused expression on her face.

"I should probably ask someone for direction." Kokoro said to herself. "If I don't, I'll get even more lost."

Then the ten year old girl stopped walking when she found herself in front of a sign that was hanging on a wall.

"Samezuka Academy..." Kokoro read from the sign. "Where have I heard that name before?" she asked, putting her finger to her chin in thought. A few moments later, realization dawned on the young girl. "I remember! It's that swimming school with an indoor pool!" her eyes shined when her knew that a pool was nearby.

Not hesitating, Kokoro ran through large gap between the two walls of the school.

"Wait." the violet haired girl said as stopped running. "I don't even know where the pool is."

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a couple of students. Thinking it would faster to ask for directions, Kokoro went over to the students.

"Excuse me." she said, gaining the boy's attention.

The students were both shocked and surprised to see a little girl that seemed to come out of nowhere.

"I was wondering if you could tell me where the indoor pool is, prwtty plwase?" Kokoro asked cutely.

The students blushed and immediately pointed in the direction of the indoor swimming pool.

"Thank you very much!" the ten year old girl said appreciatively before she turned in the direction the students had pointed in and ran off, leaving behind the two blushing students.

Kokoro quickly arrived at the pool. She noticed that a few of the academy's students were in there for morning practice.

"Wow!" she exclaimed, her eyes shining brightly when she saw the large pool. "This is better than I expected!"

The members of the swim club soon noticed the arrival of the ten year old girl, wondering where she came from and why she wasn't in school.

"Time for a swim." Kokoro said to herself as she took off her tie and vest. Then she started to unbutton her shirt.

The guys started to freak out once they saw what she was doing, some of them telling her to stop what she was doing. However, Kokoro ignored them and continued to undress herself.

* * *

"Hey, did you hear? There's a girl at the pool, and she's taking off her clothes!"

"No way! Seriously?"

"A girl?" Rin, who had overheard the conversation, repeated. "Taking off her clothes at the pool?" his eyes widened slightly when something came to his mind. "Haru?"

Not hesitating, the redhead quickly rushed to the academy's indoor pool. Once inside, he saw that a small group of guys at formed at the edge of the pool. Rin pushed his way through to the front, trying to see if the girl he heard about really was the ravenette. Once he made it to the front, the redhead immediately noticed it wasn't the young woman, but a ten year old girl taking off her clothes.

"A kid?" Rin said, surprised and confused, and a little bit disappointed that it wasn't Haru.

"She's wearing a swimsuit under her clothes?" one of the team's swimmers questioned when she finished removing her clothes.

And it was true, Kokoro was wearing a swimsuit beneath her clothes. Her swimsuit was a yellow one-piece halter, with pink frills at the top and bottom, and pink straps tied at the back of her neck.

"I'm all set!" the violet haired girl said to herself, pumping a fist into the air. "Time to swim!" she exclaimed before she dived into the pool, her form strangely resembling a sea lion, with a splash.

The students stood in awe as they watched the little girl swim through the water swiftly and gracefully.

"That girl's practically flying across the pool!" a student remarked.

'She's kinda like Haru.' Rin thought to himself, somewhat impressed by the little girl's swimming. 'Wait, this isn't the time to be impressed!' he mentally exclaimed. 'Someone's got to go and get her out of there!' he thought before he walked towards the pool's locker rooms to change into his swimsuit.

"Ah..." Kokoro sighed peacefully as she now floated through the pool, her eyes closed with a look of ecstasy on her cute features. "So peaceful..."

She floated through the water for a few moments until she heard the sound of someone jumping into the pool. However, she ignored it and continued to float on. Suddenly, Kokoro felt her head bump into something solid.

"Eh?" opening her eyes, the ten year old girl found herself staring up into a pair of red eyes.

"Yo." Rin greeted with a blank face as he stared down at the little girl who had just bumped into him.

Kokoro straightened herself out, turned her body around, and looked up at the redheaded swimmer.

The two stared at one another, neither of them not knowing what to say next.

'For some reason, her eyes remind me of Haru.' Rin thought as he stared into the violet haired girl's ocean blue eyes.

"You're really scary looking!" Kokoro exclaimed, finally breaking the silent between them, as she pointed at the older boy. "Your teeth remind me of a shark's!"

"Excuse me?!" the redhead yelled, a vein popping up on his forehead.

Some of the students that were watching the two started to snicker at the remark the little girl made. However, they shut up the second Rin threw them all a deadly glare.

"And you have a glare to match your scary looks!" Kokoro commented.

"Shut up!" the redhead young man yelled, turning his glare to the ten year old.

"Oh no! The shark is going to eat me!" the violet haired girl shrieked teasingly. "Swim away!" she shouted before she started to swim away from the older boy.

"Oh no, you don't!" Rin exclaimed as he reached out his hand and grabbed the the back of the little girl's swimsuit.

"Hey, let me go, you big brute!" Kokoro demanded as she tried to struggle out of the redhead's hold.

Rin ignored her and started to swim towards the end of the pool, dragging the violet haired girl with him. Once they made it to the end, the male swimmer pulled Kokoro up and set her down on the ground. He then climbed out himself.

"What's the big idea?!" Kokoro yelled, her cheeks puffed out to form a cute pout. "Can't a girl swim peacefully in a pool without being dragged out?"

"Not unless she's swimming in a school's pool without permission." Rin said, crossing his arms over his chest. "Who the heck are you and what are you doing here?" he asked.

"My name is Kokoro." the ten year old girl replied. "I was currently on my way to my cousin's school to visit her, but I got off at the wrong train station and I ended up at your school." she explained, rubbing the back of her head while she smiled sheepishly. "When I heard that this academy had a pool, I immediately wanted to go swimming. I just love water."

For some reason, that remark reminded Rin of a certain ravenette. "What school does your cousin go to?" he asked.

"Iwatobi High School."

The redhead thought over something in his head. After a while of thinking, he sighed. "I know the way there. I guess I could take there myself." he said.

"Really?" Kokoro asked, surprised.

"Yeah. Wait here while I go change, and don't get in the pool again." Rin ordered, giving the young girl a stern look.

"Yes, sir." the violet haired girl saluted. "Thank you very much!" she said appreciatively with a cute smile, making half of the guys in the indoor pool blush from her cuteness.

"She's so cute!"

"How is it possible for one little girl to be so freakin adorable?!"

Rin sighed from the remarks the swim club members were making before he walked towards the locker rooms to change.

* * *

Sometime later, Kokoro, fully clothed, and Rin were riding the train to the station near Iwatobi High School

"Ne, what's your name, Mister?" the violet haired girl asked the redhead she was sitting next to.

Rin didn't reply.

"You don't talk all that much, do you?" the ten year old asked. When the male swimmer didn't make any response, she sighed. "Well then, I guess I will have to call you something until I know your name." she put her finger to her chin and thought for a moment. "Ah! I know!" she said excitedly. She turned her gaze up to the older boy. "Onii-chan!" she said cutely, smiling widely.

"No." Rin said without hesitation, not affected by her cuteness. He looked down at the little girl. "Call me Matsuoka Rin-san."

"Pfft!" Kokoro snickered behind her hand. "Your name is so girly." she remarked.

"You're really annoying, you know that?" the redhead growled through his shark-like teeth.

"Oh well, at least I finally know your name." the ten year old said. The corners of her lips curled back into a small smirk. "Onii-chan." she said teasingly.

"You little..." Rin growled again, a vein popping up on his forehead as he glared at the violet haired girl.

"Oh, Onii-chan is really scary!" Kokoro exclaimed, laughing.

"Kids these days..." Rin sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Okay, okay." the violet haired girl said as she stopped laughing. "Ne, Onii-chan, you're on the swim team, right?" she asked.

The redhead didn't say anything, just nodded his head.

"What form of swimming do you do?"

Rin stayed silent for a moment. "Mostly the butterfly stroke." he said. "On occasions, freestyle."

"Really?" Kokoro asked, her eyes shining. "I also do freestyle."

"That so?" the redhead questioned.

"Yeah, I've often been told that I'm like a sea lion when I swim." the little girl said proudly, puffing out her chest.

"Sea lion..." Rin repeated. "I think I can see that." he said, remembering how the ten year old's dive form looked like a sea lion's.

"My cousin also does freestyle." Kokoro remarked. "People sometimes call her a dolphin when she swims, because she's so fast and graceful."

"What's your cousin like?" the male swimmer asked, curiosity getting the better of him.

"Well, to be honest, she's kinda aloof." the violet haired girl said honestly. "She's often calm, cool, collected, and doesn't show her emotions very much. But she's really nice and is caring. And she's really beautiful, especially when she's in the water." a smile graced the little girl's face, her eyes shining with admiration. "I want to be a great swimmer just like her when I get older."

'Her cousin sounds a lot like Haru.' Rin thought after he heard the young girl's description. He shook his head. 'No way, it's probably just a coincidence.' he thought. "So, why are you going to visit her?" he asked. "Shouldn't you be in school yourself?"

"I'm not from this area." Kokoro replied. "I just got here this morning."

"Don't you think your parents will be worried when they don't know where you are?"

"Uh, t-they're both really busy with their jobs and are away a lot." the ten year old stated. "So they thought it would be best if I come to live with my cousin for a while."

"What kind of parents just dump their kid on someone else?" Rin questioned.

"Yeah..." Kokoro said, a weak and small smile on her face as she clutched her skirt tightly. "What kind of parents would do that?" she whispered, her bangs shadowing her eyes.

The redheaded swimmer noticed this, but decided not to push it any further. The two continued the rest of their train ride to the other high school in silence.

* * *

Later, at Iwatobi High School

"Onii-chan, hurry up!" Kokoro called out to the male swimmer as she rushed past the school's gates.

"Oi, don't run off!" Rin yelled as he chased after the little girl. "You're going to get lost again!"

"I guess you're right..." the ten year old said as she stopped running. "I think it would be better to ask for directions." she said.

Then she noticed a couple of female students nearby.

"I'll be right back!" Kokoro said to Rin before going over to the students.

"Oi, wait!" the redhead called out, but the little girl was already standing in front of the students.

"Excuse me." Kokoro said politely to the female students. "Can you prwetty plwease tell me were the school's pool is?" she asked cutely.

"It's right over there!" the students said, pointing in the direction of the pool, blushing from the girl's cuteness.

"Thank you very much!" the violet haired girl said appreciatively.

'Is that her superpower or something?' Rin asked mentally, sweatdropping from the scene he just witnessed.

"Come on, Onii-chan!" Kokoro shouted, grabbing the older boy's hand.

"Oi, don't drag me!" the redhead yelled as the little girl dragged him towards the direction the pool was in. "What makes you think your cousin is at the pool anyway?" he asked.

"Because she loves water a whole lot." the ten year old replied. "She's bound to be there."

That remark caused Rin to think about a certain ravenette as Kokoro continued to drag him by his hand.

* * *

Meanwhile

Haru was kneeling besides the pool as she stared at her reflection in the water. Then she sneezed. "I want to swim already." she said to herself.

"Onee-chan!"

"Eh?" the ravenette stood up and turned in the direction the childish, female voice came from.

The second she did, someone ran right into her.

"Onee-chan! It's so great to see you again!" Kokoro exclaimed happily as she hugged the taller girl around her waist, her two strands of hair twitching in happiness.

"K-Kokoro?!" Haru said in disbelief, her face was blank but her eyes were wide with shock. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I came to visit you." the violet haired girl replied, looking up at the ravenette. "Onii-chan kindly brought me here."

"Onii-chan?"

"Him." Kokoro said as she pointed behind her, where Rin was standing with his jaw on the ground as he looked at the two.

Haru looked up from the little girl and found herself staring at the face of a shocked looking Rin.

"R-Rin?" the young woman said in surprise and disbelief.

"Haru." was all the redhead said as he stared at the slightly shorter girl, getting over his shock.

"Eh?" Kokoro looked back and forth between the two swimmers, confused. "You two know each other?" she asked.

"You can say that." Haru replied.

"I didn't know that Kokoro was your cousin." Rin said.

"That's right, I am." the violet haired girl answered instead of the ravenette. "But I like to call her Onee-chan, because she's like my sister." she looked up at her cousin. "Ne, Onee-chan, is Onii-chan your boyfriend?" she asked innocently, a slight mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Eh?!" the male swimmer exclaimed, his cheeks turning red from the question.

As for Haru, a barely noticeable pink blush dusted her cheeks. She looked down at her cousin with her usual expressionless face, the barely noticeable blush still on her cheeks. "No, Kokoro, that is a shark." she said in monotone as she pointed at the slightly taller teenager.

"I already figured that out." Kokoro stated, crossing her arms and nodding her head in agreement.

"I can not believe you!" Rin yelled. "Tsk..." he turned around and started to walk away. "Now there's two of you to tick me off now." he commented, looking over his shoulder at the cousins.

"Bye, bye, Onii-chan!" Kokoro called out, ignoring the comment, as she waved at him. "See you later!"

"Rin, thank you for bringing Kokoro here safely." Haru said with gratefulness in her voice, despite the fact that her face was still expressionless.

The redhead said nothing as he continued to walk away, feeling his face heat up a bit when the ravenette thanked him.

"I think Onii-chan is a tsundere." Kokoro remarked once Rin was out of sight.

"I'm starting to think that, too." Haru agreed. "Now, what are you doing here, Kokoro?"

"I'll explain when we get home." the violet haired girl said. "Right now, I'm so happy to see you again, it's been so long. Have you continued to start swimming competitively again?" she asked, her two strands of hair twitching slightly in excitement and anticipation.

"Yeah." the tall young woman nodded. "My friends and I have started a swim club."

"Awesome!" Kokoro cheered. "I want to met them."

"They're in the locker rooms." Haru said as she led her cousin to the pool's locker rooms.

* * *

"Take a look at this." Gou said as she held up a poster in her hands.

The read 'Spring Recruitment Campaign'.

"We can swim here in the off season?" Nagisa asked as he and Makoto looked at the poster. "Awesome."

"Right?" Gou asked. "I'm thinking that schools like us without indoor pools probably use facilities like this." she said.

"Way a go, Gou-chan!" the short blonde cheered. "Our super manger!"

"You're suppose to call me Kou!" the redheaded girl yelled. Then she noticed a certain ravenette behind the two male students. "Haru-senpai." she said when she saw the older girl.

Nagisa and Makoto looked behind them and saw their female friend.

Haru stepped closer to Gou and took the poster from her hands. "How do we pay for this?" she asked.

"With our club budget, of course." the redhead first year said.

"Ah, I see." Makoto remarked. "This gym is pretty expensive to join. If our club budget will cover that..." he trailed off when he saw the hopeful glint in the ravenette's eyes.

'This is the real reason we started a swim club.' Haru thought as she stared at the poster in her hands.

"That's probably what you're thinking, right?" the olive green haired teen asked, smiling at the young woman.

"Shut up." Haru said as she turned her head to the side.

"This means we can swim all year round!" Nagisa exclaimed, raising his arms in the air.

"That's great!" Kokoro cheered, doing the same thing the blonde was doing.

"Eh?" everyone, except Haru, said when they finally noticed the little girl's presence.

"Who's this little girl?" Gou asked.

"She's my cousin." Haru answered.

"I'm Nanase Kokoro, nice to meet you all." Kokoro greeted.

"Kokoro-chan?" Makoto said in surprise. "It's been a long time since I last saw you." he remarked, smiling. "You've gotten so big."

"Same to you, Mako-onii-chan." the ten year old said, smiling up at the taller boy. "And you've gotten really handsome, too." she turned to the short blonde. "It's been a while, Nagisa-onii-chan."

"It's good to see you again, Koko-chan." Nagisa greeted.

"Stop calling me that." the violet haired girl said.

"That there is Matsuoka Gou-chan." the short blonde, ignoring the little girl, said as he pointed at the redhead first year.

"You can call me Kou, Kokoro-chan." Gou told the young girl.

"Okay." Kokoro replied as she looked up at the older girl. "You know, you're just as pretty as Onee-chan, Kou-onee-chan." she remarked.

"Oh, thank you very much."

"You also have the same last name as Onii-chan."

"Onii-chan?" the redhead girl repeated.

"She's talking about Rin." Haru said. "She ran into him and he brought her here."

"Onii-chan was here?" Gou asked in surprise.

"Oh, is Onii-chan your Onii-chan, Kou-onee-chan?" Kokoro asked.

"Yes.." the first year girl nodded.

"Haru-"

"Nothing happened between us, Makoto." Haru cut off her childhood friend.

'I wasn't going to ask that.' the olive green haired teen thought, chuckling to himself.

* * *

Sometime later, the swim club, including Kokoro, went to the faculty office to explain their plan to their advisor.

"That's not happening." Ms. Amakata said after listening to what the students had to say.

"What? Why?" Nagisa asked.

"The school isn't going to give that much money to a brand-new club with no accomplishments." the lady teacher replied. "There is an aphorism from the Bible." she said, sticking up her finger. "He who does not work, neither shall he eat." she quoted.

"I don't think you're using that correctly." Makoto said.

"You can't eat a pool." Kokoro commented. "But you can drink from it, right?" she questioned, tilting her head to the side.

"You can't do that either, Kokoro-chan." the olive green haired teen told her. "In fact, you shouldn't do that."

"So we'll get the money if we deliver accomplishments?" Gou asked their advisor.

"I suppose." Ms. Amakata replied. "That's the best way to secure lots of money for your club."

"Accomplishments..." Haru mumbled to herself.

"So what if we can place in a summer tournaments?" Makoto asked the lady teacher.

"Your request might be approved at the second term budget review meeting." Ms. Amakata said. "But you'll need at least four swimmers to bolster your club." she informed.

"Swimmers..." Haru mumbled again as she pulled the collar of her shirt with her fingers. "One more..." she swallowed her own saliva. "...and I can swim all I want!"

"Huh?" everyone turned to the ravenette when they heard her say this.

"Haru?" Makoto questioned when he saw his childhood friend walk away hastily.

"Where are you doing, Onee-chan?" Kokoro asked.

"Haru-chan sounds motivated now." Nagisa commented.

Haru skidded to a stop when she was out of the faculty office. Then she walked ahead.

"Haru?" Makoto called out as he, Nagisa, Gou and Kokoro walked out into the hallway.

The four of them saw the ravenette walk towards two students and stopped in front of them.

"Oh, she stopped." the short blonde stated the obvious.

"Hey." Haru said to the two students, causing them to jump in surprise when they saw the young woman in front of them. Haru held up a strap with a figure of the school's mascot dangling from it. "I'll give you this. So join the swim club." she told them.

"No, thanks." the students replied in unison.

"Ouch." Nagisa said after witnessing the scene that just happened.

"It's hopeless." Makoto sighed. "That's the best that Haru can manage."

"Onee-chan really needs to work on her people skills." Kokoro remarked.

"Don't let it get to you, Haru-chan!" the blonde first year called out to the older girl.

* * *

Later

"Should the poster be flashier?" Nagisa asked himself after he hung up the poster he had made on a board in the school's hallway.

Out of the corner of his eye, the short blonde noticed a familiar boy haired first year walking towards the lockers.

"Ah. Wait, Ryugazaki-kun!" Nagisa called out as he followed his classmate. "Let's go home together." he said. "We can talk about swimming."

"I have practice now." Rei replied as he took out his track shoes. "And there's nothing to can say that will convince me to join the swim club." he said as he pushed his glasses closer to his face.

"Ryugazaki-kun..." the short blonde said as he watched the taller boy walk away. "You're so cold." he said as his shoulders slumped.

Then, out of the corner of his eye, the first year noticed the other student's nameplate on his locker. He gasped.

* * *

Later

"This way!" Nagisa said as he led the rest of the swim, still including Kokoro, outside to the school's track field.

"What is it?" Haru asked in monotone as the shorter boy dragged her by her wrist.

"I found the perfect person!" the blonde first year replied excitedly.

"The track team?" Gou questioned when she saw all of the students on the track field.

"He can't join the swim club if he's apart of another club." Kokoro stated.

"Look. Over there." Nagisa said as he pointed towards where Rei was. "It's his fate!" he exclaimed.

"Was he on the swim team in middle school?" Haru asked, her face blank like always.

"Does he hold a record?" Gou questioned.

"It's his name!" Nagisa said.

"His name?" Makoto repeated.

"Yep. It's Ryugazaki Rei-chan! He's the same as us! A boy with a girly name!"

"That's your reason?!" Kokoro and Gou yelled in disbelief.

"And did you forget that my name suits my gender?" Haru asked, deadpanning.

"But I have to agree." the redheaded first year said. "Look at those deltoids..." she trailed off at she stared at the blue haired boy's muscular arms with sparkly eyes.

"That's your reason?!" Makoto exclaimed in incredulity.

"Deltoids?" Kokoro questioned, tilting her head to the side.

"You really think those reasons are enough?" the olive green haired boy asked.

"My reasons are good!" Gou defending.

"That's right, Mako-chan." Nagisa agreed with the other first year. "Go with your gut on these things."

"Hey, it looks like he's about to jump." Haru said in monotone.

"Bar height: 4:20 meters. Set takeoff speed to _v_. Set acceleration to _a._ Gravity is _g._ If the center of gravity, after taking into account hole length is _h,_ then the angle of approach is..." Rei mumbled to himself as he got into position, long pole in his hands.

Soon, he started running towards the bar. Everyone stood and watched. Once he was close enough, Rei stuck the end of pole into the box and lifted himself into the air. He turned his body around while he was above the bar. Everyone, even Haru, was amazed by the first year's form as he landed on the large mat on the other side of the bar.

"He's form was beautiful." Makoto commented.

Haru nodded in agreement, her face going back to being expressionless.

"He's probably a great diver." Kokoro remarked.

"Absolutely!" Gou exclaimed. "And his biceps are also beautiful!" she declared with sparkly eyes.

"Is that all you care about?!" the olive green haired teen asked.

"I miscalculated the angle of approach." Rei said to himself, still sitting on the large mat.

* * *

That evening, after school, at a train station

Nagisa was sitting on a bench, waiting for the train to arrive. Then he noticed a certain blue haired first year.

"Hey, Rei-chan!" he called out as he stood up and went over to the taller boy.

Rei ignored him, his face buried in the book he was reading. Then realization hit him. "Rei-chan?!" he exclaimed, turned to the shorter boy.

"Oh, you can call me Nagisa." Nagisa offered.

"I won't." the blue haired boy said, pushing his red-framed glasses further up his nose. "We aren't that close."

"We can get closer once you join the swim club." the blonde stated as he stepped closer to the taller student.

"I'm not going to join." Rei said as he stepped away from the swimmer who was invading his personal space. "I'm only interested in sports that are beautiful." he informed.

"Like track?" Nagisa questioned, stepping closer.

"Yes." the blue haired boy replied, stepping away. "It's a sport known for beautiful events such as pole vaulting. You can attain the perfect form through theory and calculation!"

"That sounds too hard for me to understand, but you can be in both clubs at the same time." the blonde first year said. "You use your arm muscles for pole vaulting, right? So doesn't swimming sound perfect?" he asked.

"I'm not going to join both." Rei told him. "After all, humans evolved to live on land." he informed as he closed his book. "Why would you go backwards and play sports in water? It defies reason! Don't forget that water has 12 to 13 times the viscosity of air!"

Nagisa said nothing as he gaped at the other first year.

* * *

Meanwhile, at the Nanase residence

The ravenette and her cousin were both sitting at the table in her living room. Haru was reading a note that Kokoro had given her. As she read the note, silence was the only thing that filled the air around the two cousins. Kokoro stared at the older girl as she read the note. After reading the note, Haru stared at it with a blank face. She put it down with a small sigh.

"So, that's what's going on." she said more to herself.

"Yes..." the violet haired little girl said, nodding her head.

"Well..." Haru started to say as she stood up. She walking into the kitchen and put on her apron. "What do you want for dinner?" she asked.

Kokoro was a bit taken back by her cousin's question. "You mean I can stay?" she questioned.

"Yeah, there's a guest room you can use." the young woman said. "We can go shopping for the things you might need this weekend. Now..." she looked at the ten year old girl from over her shoulder. "What do you want for dinner?" she asked again.

Kokoro stared at her cousin, her ocean blue eyes wide. Then she smiled widely. "Mackerel, please!" she requested.

* * *

The next morning, at the Iwatobi High School

"So Kokoro-chan will be staying with you for a while?" Makoto asked his childhood friend, who was sitting across from him at the desk they were using.

"Yeah." Haru replied in monotone, drawing a poster for the swim club. "I talked to my parents last night and they were fine with it. They'll send me some money to enroll her in school."

"Why she is staying with you?" the olive green haired questioned.

"Family stuff." the ravenette said simply.

Then they noticed a certain blonde walking over to their desk.

"No luck." Nagisa said, his shoulders sagging. "He wouldn't say yes. I don't think Rei-chan likes the water."

"We don't need anyone like that." Haru remarked in monotone. "Don't let him in the water."

"If you say that, nobody will join!" the short blonde shouted, slamming his hands on the desk as he leaned closer to the taller girl. "We'll have to spend all winter lifting weights and jogging! Are you okay with that, Haru-chan?!"

The raventte's expression got on a look of what seemed to be horror at the thought.

"Are you really okay with that?!" Nagisa asked.

Haru shut her eyes closed and turned her head away. "No." she admitted quietly.

"I think we need to ask Ama-chan-sensei to strip down for us." the short blonde said.

"That won't happen." Makoto stated. "She said that she wouldn't wear a swimsuit."

"Then we should reverse it!" Nagisa said somewhat excitedly.

"Reverse it?" the olive green haired boy repeated.

"If you join, you get to show off your swimsuit to Ama-chan-sensei!"

"Does anybody want that?" Makoto questioned.

Haru picked up a pencil and was about to write what the first year said.

"Wait, don't write that down." the tallest of the three said as he grabbed the young woman's wrist to stop her.

Suddenly, the three students noticed that a certain lady teacher was standing in front of them.

"Excuse me, boys." Ms. Amakata said a bit too sweetly as she tilted her head to the side.

"We're sorry!" Makoto and Nagisa apologized quickly, feeling scared of their advisor.

* * *

That evening, after school

"Hey, Haru." Makoto said to his childhood friend as they walked home together.

"What?" Haru asked in monotone, gazing at the ocean they were walking by.

"It sounds like we'll be entering tournaments." the olive green haired teen stated. "Are you okay with that?" he asked.

The tall ravenette didn't reply, she just continued to gaze at the ocean.

"Even if you end up racing Rin again and beating him." Makoto continued.

Haru finally turned her head and look up at her childhood friend. "Who told you?" she asked, turning her head around to look at the ocean again.

"I happened to run into Coach Sasabe the other day." the tall young man replied, a small smile on his face.

"It's in the past." was all Haru said. "Besides... He's swimming again. That's enough."

Makoto smiled at his childhood friend.

* * *

The next day, at Iwatobi High School

"I have good news for everyone today." Gou said to the rest of the swim club at the pool. "Amazingly enough, I was able to schedule a joint practice with Samezuka!"

"Wow, really?" Kokoro, who was also there, asked.

"Did you asked Rin?" Makoto questioned.

"My Onii-chan won't listen to me, so I went straight to their captain." the redheaded girl replied.

* * *

 _Flashback, the day before_

"Joint practice?" the academy's swim club's captain, Mikoshiba Seijirou, asked as he stared down at the first year girl.

"Yes." Gou said softly, feeling a little intimidated by his stare.

"That sounds great!" the orange haired young man exclaimed as he grabbed her hands. "Let's do it!"

 _End Flashback_

* * *

Present Day

"That's out super manager, Gou-ch-"

"It's Kou." the redheaded girl cut off Nagisa.

"That means we have permission in Samezuka's indoor pool now." Makoto remarked. He and his childhood friend looked at one another for a second.

"But..." Gou spoke up. "Since it's a joint practice, we need to bring four members at a minimum."

"That means we have to recruit a new member before the practice." the blonde first year said. "Especially since Gou-chan used her sex appeal to get us this chance."

"I didn't use sex appeal!" the redheaded first year yelled.

"Huh? You didn't?"

"Of course not!"

While the two first years bickered, Haru noticed something.

"Has anybody seen Kokoro?" she asked, her voice in monotone.

"Eh?" everyone said when they heard the ravenette say this. They all soon noticed the absence of the ten year old girl. "Eh?!" they exclaimed.

"Where did she go?!" Makoto yelled. "I could have swore she was here a second ago."

"Koko-chan!" Nagisa called out.

"Kokoro-chan!" Gou also called out.

"Hey, she just texted me." Haru said, looking at her phone with a blank stare.

"What did she say?" Makoto asked.

"She said she was going to see Rin." the young woman replied.

"Eh?!" everyone exclaimed.

* * *

Meanwhile, at Samezuka Academy

"Nobody told me there would be a joint practice." Rin said as he stopped jogging.

"The captain made the call." a boy with silvery hair and teal eyes, Nitori Ai, explained as he caught up with the red head, panting from the jogging. "Your little sister is a member of the Iwatobi swim club, right?" he asked. "There members are Nanase Haruka-" Rin felt his eye twitch. "-Tachibana Makoto, and Hazuki Nagisa. Apart from Nanase-san, they all have girly names and-" the first year boy was cut off when he saw the redheaded swimmer glaring at him If looks could kill, he was no doubt be dead right now. "Sorry." he apologized quickly and quietly when he remembered that the older boy also had a feminine name.

"How do you know?" Rin asked, almost growling.

"I participated in that tournament." Ai answered, smiling slightly. "I believe that was your last tournament as a grade schooler, Matsuoka-senpai. My team lost in the prelims. That race was amazing to watch."

Rin said nothing. He was about to say something until someone cut him off.

"Onii-chan!" a childish female voice called out, causing the redheaded swimmer to flinch a bit.

"Oh Lord..." Rin groaned under his breath. "Why are you here, Kokoro?" he asked the violet haired girl when she run up to him.

"I came to visit you." Kokoro replied, smiling up at him.

"You're the little girl who took off your clothes at the pool the other day." Ai remarked.

"Yup, that's me." the ten year old said. "I'm Nanase Kokoro."

"Are you Nanase-san's little sister?" the first year asked, surprised to find out she was related to Haru.

"Actually, I'm her cousin." Kokoro answered. "But, I do call her Onee-chan."

"Oh. Well, it's nice to meet you, Kokoro-chan, I'm Nitori Ai." Ai said, smiling at the young girl.

"Nice to meet you, too, Ai-onii-chan." the violet haired girl said. She turned her gaze up to the redheaded swimmer. "Ne, Onii-chan, did you hear about the joint practice between your academy and Iwatobi's swim club." she asked.

"Yeah, Nitori told me about it a while ago." Rin replied, not looking at the little girl.

"Really? Well, I can't wait for it. I want to swim in the indoor pool again!" Kokoro said excitedly, her eyes shining.

"I don't think we need to repeat what happened the last time you did that." the redheaded swimmer retorted, finally looking at the ten year old with a slight scowl on his face.

"But, I'm a little worried that we won't be able to come." Kokoro said more to herself, ignoring what the older boy just said.

"Why is that, Kokoro-chan?" Ai asked.

"Because the club needs one more member to recruit in order for that to happen." the violet haired girl replied. She gave a small sigh as she closed her eyes and placed a hand on her cheek, her other hand holding her elbow. "I'm sure you would be disappointed if we didn't come, Onii-chan." she said to Rin, opening one of her eyes to look at him. "I know you would have wanted to see Onee-chan again a whole lot."

"What makes you say that?!" Rin yelled, knowing she was talking about Haru, as his face heated up a bit from what she just said.

"Because you like Onee-chan, right?" Kokoro questioned, tilting her head to the side.

"I-I don't..." the redheaded young man denied, turning his head away to hide the red blush on his cheeks.

"You really are a tsundere." the violet haired girl commented.

"What did you just say?!" Rin exclaimed, turning his head back around to glare at the little girl.

"Ah! I know." Kokoro, ignoring the older boy's glare, said to herself as she smacked her fist into her palm. "I could join the swim club. That way, we can come to the joint practice, and Onii-chan can see Onee-chan!" she said confidently, her two strands of hair twitching in excitement.

"Stop saying ridiculous things!" the male swimmer shouted.

"I'm going to go and tell everyone else about my plan." the ten year old said. "I'll see you at the joint practice, Onii-chan!" she said before she turned around and ran off.

"Oi! Come back here, you little brat!" Rin called out.

However, Kokoro was already gone.

"I swear..." the redheaded swimmer sighed, running a head through his hair.

"Kokoro-chan sure is energetic." Ai remarked.

"She's annoying, is what she is." Rin said.

"From the look on her face, she really seems to adore you, Matsuoka-senpai." the silvery haired boy commented, smiling a little. "It makes me think that she might have a little crush on you."

"What are you talking about?" the second year asked, not getting what the first year meant.

"It's just that I've heard that little girls sometimes develop crushes on older men." Ai explained.

"I highly doubt Kokoro would have a crush on me." the redheaded swimmer scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Well, she did say some things about you liking Nanase-san." the silvery haired boy commented. "Is that true?" he asked.

Rin felt his face heat up from the question. "A-A-As if I would like that emotionless woman!" he exclaimed before he took off jogging.

"Matsuoka-senpai really is a tsundere." Ai remarked out aloud.

"I heard that!" the redheaded swimmer yelled from up ahead.

"S-Sorry!" the first year stammered before he jogged after the second year.

* * *

Later, at the Nanase residence

"Nanase Kokoro..." the ravenette said in monotone as she stared down at her younger cousin, a small scowl on her features.

The violet haired girl squirmed a bit from Haru's stare. She knew when her cousin said her full name that she was in real trouble.

"What in the world were you thinking, going off on your own?" Haru asked, crossing her arms under her chest. "What if something had happened to you?"

"I'm sorry for worrying you, Onee-chan." Kokoro apologized, her head bowed down.

"Sorry isn't good enough." the tall young woman said. "You are going to be punished for your actions."

"W-What is my punishment?" the ten year old asked nervously.

"Your punishment is..." Haru thought for a second. "No mackerel for a week." she said.

"No! Anything thing but that!" Kokoro begged. "I'll clean all of the rooms in the house, do all of the chores, anything but no mackerel!"

"My mind is made up." the ravenette stated coolly. "Next time you should think before you act."

"Aww!" the violet haired girl whined.

* * *

Later that night

After dinner, which didn't include mackerel for Kokoro but did include for Haru, the two cousins were outside the house feeding the stray cats that often hanged around. They both sat in silence as they watched the felines eat. Suddenly, Haru gave a loud sneeze, causing the cats to run away from the sudden noise.

"Bless you." Kokoro said. "Are you okay?" she asked, worried that her cousin might be getting a cold.

"I'm fine." Haru replied as she rubbed her nose. "Somebody's talking about me." she said more to herself.

'Onii-chan.' the violet haired girl thought to herself as she giggled, causing the older girl to look at her with a bit of a questioning look.

* * *

The next day

Rei had just gotten off of the train and changed into his running clothes, about to run the rest of the way to school like he always did.

"Wait, Rei-chan!" Nagisa, now wearing running clothes as well, called out as he run up the taller boy.

"What do you want?" the first year asked, sighing.

"Can I run with you?" the short blonde asked.

Rei stared at the other first year for a moment. "If you can keep up." he finally said before he started jogging.

"Okay!" Nagisa exclaimed as he followed the other boy. "This brings back memories." he said. "I used to run with Haru-chan to the swimming club like this in grade school. Haru-chan always played it cool and said, 'If you can keep up'."

"Who's this Haru-chan?" Rei asked as he jogged down a different road.

"Oh, you go this way?" the short blonde questioned as he changed direction and followed the blue haired boy.

"What do you want?" Rei asked.

"What do I want? I want you to join the swim club." Nagisa answered honestly. "We really need another member before our joint practice. Koko-chan said she would join, but she's not old enough."

"Now who's this Koko-chan?" the blue haired young man asked.

"She's Haru-chan's younger cousin. She's really cute and calls Haru-chan Onee-chan."

"Why do you want me to join?"

Nagisa thought for a moment. "Because you're a boy with a girly name?" he replied truthfully.

"That's your reason?!" Rei exclaimed as he stopped jogging and turned to face the other first year.

"Yeah."

The tallest of the two sighed as he placed his hand over his face.

"But the main reason is because you looked beautiful." Nagisa said.

"Huh?" Rei questioned, removing his hand from his face.

"When you were pole vaulting. Your jump was really beautiful, Rei-chan!"

"Well..." the blue haired young man started to say, surprised by what the other first year said. "I was just following theory and calculation." he silently gripped his fist.

"That's not something everyone can do." Nagisa remarked. "I suck at that stuff." he said as he scratched his cheek. "So I want you to use theory and calculation to look good swimming." he told Rei.

"That's impossible." the blue haired young man said. "A swimmer must flap his arms and legs underwater, while struggling to break the surface for a gasp of air. You can't even look good while going that!" he exclaimed.

"Really?" the short blonde questioned. "But... Haru-chan is a beautiful swimmer." he said.

"Haru-chan again?" Rei asked. Then he started to jog ahead.

"Hey, wait!" Nagisa called out as he quickly followed the other first year.

* * *

Later, at Iwatobi High School

"What are you doing?" Haru asked the blonde first year, who was panting outside the school gates, in monotone.

"I wonder he'll live." Kokoro thought aloud.

"Don't say things like that, Kokoro-chan." Makoto said. "And why are you here instead of at my house for my mom to watch you?"

"Haru-chan... Mako-chan... Koko-chan..." Nagisa said in between pants.

"Why does my name matter when they already have a _girl_ member?" a male voice asked.

"Eh?" the group said in unison as they turned to the source of the voice.

"Oh, Rei-chan." Nagisa said when he saw the taller first year walking towards them.

"You're Haru-chan-san?" Rei asked, looking at the tall ravenette.

"Don't put both '-chan' and '-san' at the end of my name." Haru remarked, her face blank.

"What do you want from Onee-chan?" Kokoro asked.

"You must be Koko-chan." Rei said, looking down at the ten year old.

"Don't call me that." the violet haired girl told him, pouting cutely as she placed her hands on her hips. "It's Kokoro."

"Is something up?" Nagisa questioned.

"I'm willing to participate in your joint practice as a trail member." the blue haired young man replied.

"What? Really?" the short blonde asked in surprise.

"But only on one condition." Rei said. He pushed his glasses further up his nose. "I won't do any swimming." he stated.

* * *

Later that day, at Samezuka Academy

"Indoor pools are so nice!" Nagisa commented he and the rest of the swim team, including Kokoro, arrived at the academy's indoor pool.

'Easy to see they're from a champion school...' Gou thought as she stared at all of the muscular swimmer's at the pool, her red eyes sparking. 'But our's are just as good.' she thought as she turned her gaze to Makoto, who was now wearing a swim suit along with the others, expect for Rei.

"Hey, thanks for coming." Seijirou said as he come over to the group.

"Thank you very much!" everyone, expect Haru, said in unison as they bowed.

"Sure." the orange haired young man said. He turned his gaze to the tall ravenette. "You're Nanase-kun, right?" he asked. "You won a bunch of regional tournaments in middle school."

"Yeah..." Haru replied softly.

"Kokoro-chan!" Makoto called out to the ten year old girl, who was swimming through the academy's pool gracefully with her swimsuit on, her clothes laying at the side of the pool. "Don't just swim in another school's pool without permission!"

"It's alright." Seijirou told him, not looking bothered at all. "She's not doing any harm. Besides, she looks like she's having fun."

"Oh, Senpai." Ai said when he saw a certain redhead swimmer. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing." Rin said simply. He turned his gaze to the ravenette, who didn't seem to be listing as the academy's swim club captain continued to talk.

"Oh. Onii-chan!" Gou said as she went over to her older brother.

"Gou, what are you trying to do?" Rin asked his younger sister.

"Rin-chan! We get to swim together again!" Nagisa exclaimed excitedly. "Let's have fun today."

"Together?" the male swimmer repeated. He scoffed. "You guys are a waste of my time." he said as he turned around and started to walk away.

"Onii-chan!" Kokoro called out as she finally climbed out of the pool. "I was hoping to see you swim today. What's with that attitude?" she asked.

"I don't have to answer to a little kid." Rin replied as he looked over his shoulder briefly to look at the little girl. "Go bug someone else for a change."

"Jerk!" Kokoro yelled, sticking her tongue out at the older boy's retreating figure.

"What's his problem?" Rei asked after witnessing the scene that just happened.

"Yeah, there's some history there." Makoto remarked.

"I was thinking that you could practice with our first years today." Seijirou said. "Okay!" he clasped his hands together. "Let's start with individual time trails." he looked over at Rei. "You there. Get in your swimsuit ."

"Uh, I'm not..." the blue haired young man started to say.

"Sorry!" Nagisa jumped in. "He forgot to bring his swimsuit." he said, chuckling a bit awkwardly.

"What? Why is he here, then?" the orange haired captain questioned. "You can use one of our spare swimsuits, so go get change!" he said to the first year.

"Huh?"

"Hey, Nitori!" Seijirou called.

"Yes!" the silvery haired first year responded as he walked over to Rei. "Come with me." he said.

"Uh, I'm not..." the blue haired young man started to say.

"Hurry up!" Ai grabbed the taller first year's arm and started to drag him towards the locker rooms.

"Oh dear..." Kokoro said softly as she and the others watched their other team member being dragged away.

* * *

Sometime later

"The deal was that I wouldn't have to swim." Rei stated, now wearing a speedo.

"I think Rei-onii-chan looks great." Kokoro commented.

"Don't worry." Nagisa reassured the other first year. "These trails are just for practice, so it doesn't matter if you're slow."

"That's not the issue!" the blue haired young man exclaimed.

"Oh, it's Mako-onii-chan's turn." Kokoro said as she saw the olive green haired young man climb onto one of the starting blocks.

"Are either of listening to me?" Rei asked.

Then, out of the corner of her eyes, the violet haired little girl noticed a certain redheaded swimmer watching from above from the indoor pool's bleachers.

"Ne, Kou-onee-chan." Kokoro whispered to the redheaded girl, pointing up at that the bleachers.

"Eh?" Gou followed the ten year old's finger, looked up, and saw her older brother.

Both girls noticed that his eyes seemed to be trained on something, or someone, specific. Following his gaze, Kokoro and Gou turned their heads and saw that the redhead's line of sight was set on Haru, who had her usual blank look on.

"So he's curious." Gou said quietly, being heard only by the violet haired little girl.

"Either that, or Onii-chan is checking Onee-chan out." Kokoro whispered back jokingly, winking as she giggled.

"That wouldn't surprise me at all." the redheaded first year giggled as well. "Since Onii-chan likes Haru-senpai a whole lot."

Suddenly, the two froze when they swore they felt someone's eyes on them. Turning their heads up slowly, the two girls flinched when they saw that Rin was glaring down at them.

'Looks like he heard us...' Kokoro and Gou thought in unison as they smiled and laughed nervously from the redhead's glare, both turning their heads away to try to ignore him.

"I'm up next." Nagisa said as he got on top on the starting back when his saw Makoto was swimming back towards the other end.

As soon as the olive green haired young man touched the wall, the blonde swimmer quickly jumped into the water and started swimming.

"Next swimmer, get ready." Seijirou announced.

Rei flinched, knowing it was his turn.

"You're up next, Ryugazaki-kun." Makoto said to the first year, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I told you, I'm no-"

"Hey, next swimmer!" the orange haired captain cut off Rei. "Move to the starting block!"

The blue haired didn't move.

"Well... you might as well." the olive green haired young man told.

"Fine!" Rei yelled as he moved to the starting block.

"Don't underestimate the water." Haru said in monotone when the first year walked past her.

"I'm not!" Rei snapped. He climbed onto the starting block and adjusted his swimming goggles. 'It'll be fine.' he told himself mentally. 'It's about 50 centimeters from the surface to the starting block. Set acceleration to _v._ Set entry angle to theta. Assuming that the water viscosity is equal to _r...'_ He got into the proper position for diving. 'Calculate the power I should use when kicking off...'

"He's form is beautiful." Makoto remarked.

Nagisa swam back to the starting block.

"Set!" Seijirou yelled.

'What angle should my arms be at?' Rei thought, becoming slightly worried.

The second the whistle blew, the young man dived into the water, his form perfect. However, Rei suddenly dropped like dead weight a couple feet away from the starting block.

"What?!" everyone, except Haru, exclaimed in shock.

"What?!" Kokoro yelled in disbelief.

Everyone just stayed where they were and stared at the spot the blue haired young man dropped into the water, said young man not resurfacing.

"U-Uh... He hasn't come back up yet." Makoto stated the obvious.

"Um, this looks bad..." Gou trailed off, worried.

Suddenly, Haru shot past her and jumped into the water. Nagisa, who was still in the pool, quickly dived under the water.

"Is he okay?" Seijirou asked.

Soon, the second and first year pulled a coughing Rei to the surface, his arms slung over their shoulders. Everyone sighed in relief. Kokoro looked up and saw Rin staring down at her. He had a look on his face that seemed to say, 'Is this guy really apart of their team?'. The ten year old girl sweatdropped and chuckled awkwardly.

* * *

A little bit later

Rei was sitting against a wall with a dark and depressed aura surrounding him.

"So Rei-chan..." Nagisa started to say. "You can't swim?" he asked.

The blue haired young man cringed. "Yeah..." he admitted. "Are you saying it's my fault?!" he yelled defensively. "I told you I wasn't going to swim!"

"You should have said something earlier." Kokoro said in a slight scolding tone, a small scowl on her face as she placed her hands on her hips.

"I wasn't going to admit I couldn't swim." Rei stated. "That would go against my sense of beauty!" he exclaimed.

"Rei-chan..." Nagisa said softly.

"I'll clear things up with Samezuka." Makoto said. "Sorry about forcing you into this situation." he apologized.

"Hey, it's Onee-chan's turn." Kokoro remarked, turning her head to see her older cousin step onto one of the starting blocks and adjust her goggles over her eyes, as well as pulling her hair into a high ponytail.

Everyone else turned to watch the ravenette.

"Ready!" Seijirou yelled.

Haru got into position. Kokoro looked up and saw Rin staring at the young woman intensely.

"Set!" the ornage haired captain shouted.

The second the whistle blew, Haru dived into the water. Rei's eyes widen in shock at the ravenette's beautiful form.

"It's so beautiful watch!" Nagisa exclaimed.

"Onee-chan really is like a dolphin!" Kokoro commented, her two strands of hair twitching in excitement from watching her older cousin swim, her eyes shining with admiration.

"Is something wrong?" Makoto asked Rei, who was now standing up.

"No, it's just that..." the blue haired young man trailed, staring at the young woman swim in amazement.

"See? I told you so." Nagisa said to the other first year, smiling. "Haru-chan is an amazing swimmer."

'She doesn't use theory.' Rei thought as continued at Haru as she swam through the water swiftly and gracefully. 'No calculation, either. She has something much stronger that I do not.' he watched the woman flip in the water when she reached the other side and kicked herself off the wall and started swimming back. 'Much stronger...'

Soon, Haru was back at the starting block. She removed her goggles and releashed her hair from the hair tie that was being used to hold her hair up. Then she shook her hair out of her face and flicked it.

'Can I...' Rei thought. 'Can I learn to swim like that?'

* * *

The next day, at Iwatobi High School

"You haven't given up yet?" Makoto asked the blonde first year as he and the rest of the swim, including Kokoro, sat on a bench and looked out into the track field, the little girl sitting on her older cousin's lap since their wasn't any more room for her.

"Of course not." Nagisa replied. "But it looks like Rei-chan..." he trailed off.

The track team coach called for the blue haired young man, who responded quickly.

"Is feeling much better." the short blonde finished what he was saying.

'No theory...' Rei thought as he got in position, pole in his hands. 'No calculation... Be free!'

Soon, he started running. When he was close enough, Rei stuck the end of the pole into the box and lifted himself into the air. When he was over the pole, he spread his arms and legs out.

"What?!" everyone, expect Haru, exclaimed in unison, totally taken aback by what they were seeing.

Suddenly, Rei dropped onto the mat like dead weight, bringing the bar down with him.

"He fell." Nagisa stated the obvious.

"Hey, he's coming over here." Kokoro said when she saw the young man climb off the mat and walk over to them.

"I want to be like you, Nanase-senpai." Rei said to Haru when he was in front of the group.

"What do you mean?" the ravenette asked in monotone.

"I want that kind of freedom." the blue haired young man replied.

"It's not freedom." Haru told him.

Everyone turned their heads to look at the second year girl, surprised by what she said.

"It's freestyle." the tall ravenette remarked.

"Fr-Freestyle..." Rei repeated. "Anyway, I would to formally..." he took a deep breath. "Join the swim club!" he shouted as he bowed.

"What? Really?" everyone, except Haru, asked in surprise.

Haru was slightly taken aback when the first year bowed in front of her. However, she got over it and her face went back to being expressionless.

"If you want to swim, go ahead." she said coolly as she turned her head to the side.

"That's that, then." Makoto said.

"Yep!" Kokoro and Gou agreed.

"However, you were the one who initially invited me to join." Rei said to Nagisa. "I expect you to take responsibility..." he looked away from the blonde. "Nagisa-kun."

The short blonde was surprised. However, he quickly smiled widely. "Sure! You can count on me!" he exclaimed as he jumped up and hugged the taller first year.

"Hey! Watch it!"

Everyone, except the ravenette, laughed.

 _To be continued..._

* * *

 **Omake One:**

 _Four years ago_

"Why are you all following me home?" Haru asked the three boys as they climbed the steps to her house.

"Rin has never seen where you live, Haru." Makoto said to the young girl.

"I was curious in what kind of home you live in, Nanase." Rin said, grinning.

"I really wanted to come to your house again, Haru-chan." Nagisa remarked.

Haru sighed as they reached the top of the stairs. "Whatever." she said in monotone. "Just don't mess with anything."

As soon as they all reached the door, it immediately slid open.

"Welcome home, Onee-chan!" a six year old girl, with shoulder length violet hair, two strands of her hair were being held by beads, and ocean blue eyes, greeted cheerfully as she leapt onto the thirteen year old girl and wrapped her arms around her waist.

Haru just stood and stared down at the little girl with a blank stare. Makoto and Nagisa chuckled a little while Rin just stood there with a dumbfounded expression.

"I didn't know you had a little sister, Nanase." the redhead boy finally spoke up.

"Actually, she's my cousin." the ravenette said, turning to look at the other swimmer with a expressionless face. "Her name is Kokoro. She's staying with me for a bit."

Kokoro finally noticed the presence of the other boys.

"Oh, hi, Mako-onii-chan, Nagisa-onii-chan. " she greeted with a smile.

"Good to see you again, Kokoro-chan." Makoto greeted back, smiling as well.

"Hello, Koko-chan." Nagisa greeted.

"Now, who are you?" Kokoro asked, looking at Rin.

"I'm Matsouka Rin." the redheaded boy introduced himself. "Nice to meet you, Kokoro." he said.

"You have a girly name like Mako-onii-chan and Nagisa-onii-chan." the violet haired girl remarked.

"I know." Rin said, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "But, I'm a guy."

"Is there any chance that you're Onee-chan's boyfriend?" Kokoro asked innocently.

"Eh?!" the young boy exclaimed, his face turning almost as red as his hair.

"No, Kokoro, that's a shark." Haru said in monotone, pointing at the redheaded swimmer.

"Is that so?" the six year old girl questioned.

"What's that suppose to mean?!" Rin yelled.

"They're at it again." Nagisa remarked.

"They both get along so well." Makoto said, chuckling softly.

"Well, come in, come in." Kokoro said as she grabbed Rin's hand and dragged him inside the house. "Make yourself at home."

"Kokoro, don't cause trouble." Haru scolded as she and the other boys walked in.

"It's okay, she's just energetic." Rin said.

"Rin-kun is right!" Kokoro stated, sticking her tongue out at her cousin.

"Kokoro, don't call him Rin-kun." the ravenette scolded again. "It sounds weird."

"What should I call him, then?" the violet haired girl questioned as she put her finger to her chin and thought for a moment. "Oh! I know!" she looked up at the redheaded boy. "Onii-chan!" she said cutely, smiling widely. "Who knows, you might become my real Onii-chan someday." she remarked.

That remark caused Rin to blush heavily.

"What are you going on about, Kokoro?!" Haru exclaimed, a scowl on her face as she looked down at the girl.

"Oh no, save me, Onii-chan!" Kokoro yelled playfully as she hide behind Rin.

"Kokoro, stop messing around!" the thirteen year old girl demanded as she tried to get her cousin.

"Never!" the violet haired girl shouted, laughing as she moved out of the older girl's reach.

Haru soon noticed that all of the boys were watching her. She quickly regained her composure.

"I'll go make some tea." she said in monotone as she turned around and walked towards the kitchen. "Kokoro, show them to the living room."

"Okay." Kokoro said.

"This is the first time I've seen Nanase out of character." Rin remarked as the six year old girl led them into the living room area.

"Onee-chan often acts all calm and cool, but she's really nice." Kokoro said. "Onii-chan, are you also on the swim club with Onee-chan and everyone else?" she asked the redhead.

"Yeah, Rin is a really good swimmer." Makoto answered. "Just as good as Haru."

"Onee-chan is an amazing swimmer." the violet haired little girl declared, her eyes shining with admiration. "I've asked her to teach me how to swim."

"You like swimming, Kokoro?" Rin asked.

"Yep. I really love being in the water." Kokoro replied. She looked up at the redheaded boy. "Ne, Onii-chan, will you please play with me?" she asked innocently.

"Sure." Rin said.

"Oh boy." Nagisa suddenly said, laughing.

"What's so funny?" the redhead swimmer asked, confused on why the blonde just laughed.

"You're about to find out what it's like playing with Kokoro-chan?" Makoto said, smiling.

"Eh?"

* * *

Sometime later

"Kokoro..." Rin said as he slumped on the table in the living room, panting. "You show no mercy."

The violet haired girl just giggled.

"I see you've played with Kokoro." Haru remarked as she walked out of the kitchen, a tray with cups filled with tea was in her hands.

"Yeah." the redhead responded.

"I'm sorry." the ravenette apologized in monotone as she put the tray on the table and sat down. "She just so playful."

"It's okay, Nanase." Rin told her. "I'm used to playing with my little sister like this." he said as he rubbed Kokoro's head.

"Ne, Ne, Onii-chan." the six year old girl called.

"What is it, Kokoro?" the redhead boy asked.

"Why does Onii-chan call Onee-chan 'Nanase'?" Kokoro asked.

Rin was slightly taken a back by the question.

"It's because we're not very close." Haru replied bluntly.

"Yeah..." the redheaded swimmer said softly.

* * *

Later, in the evening

"I'm sorry that Kokoro said some weird things." Haru apologized in monotone as she walked Rin down the steps of the stairs that led to her house.

"It's alright." the young boy said. "I had fun. Kokoro is really different compared to you."

"Yeah. People often tell us that." the ravenette remarked as they reached the end of the stairs. "I'll see you and the others at practice tomorrow. See ya." she said coolly as she started to walk up the stairs again.

"Nanase."

Haru stopped and turned to the other thirteen year old.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I-I was wondering if I..." Rin trailed off, a dark red blush appearing on his cheeks.

"Hm?" Haru tilted her to the side.

"Can I call you Haru?" the redheaded swimmer asked.

The young girl was taken aback by the question. However, she got over it and her face went back to being expressionless.

"I don't care." she said in monotone. "You can call me that if you want."

Rin was a little surprised by what she said. He got over it and grinned widely, showing his shark-like canines. "Then you can call me by my name, Haru."

For a reason unknown to her, Haru felt her face heat up a little when the other swimmer called her by her nickname.

"Whatever." she said coolly, her face going blank again. "I'll see you tomorrow..." she started to walk up the stairs again. Then she stopped and looked at the redheaded swimmer. "Rin." she said, a small smile appearing on her lips.

Rin was taken aback by this, his face turning ten different shades of red.

"S-See you later." he stammered before he turned and took of.

* * *

That night

Haru was laying on her bed, a sleeping Kokoro was snuggled up against her. The ravenette looked out her window and stared at the crescent moon hanging in the sky, thinking about what had happened today.

'For some reason..' she thought. 'I kind of liked it when he called me by my name.' she mentally said to herself, a small smile on her face, before she drifted off to sleep.

 **FIN**

* * *

 **I'm finally done! Whoo! This is the longest chapter I have ever written. YA: I think the Omake I made you add in was apart of it. I hope you guys enjoyed it. Please let me know what you thought about and Kokoro. Anyway, until next chapter. P.S Don't forget to review. YA: correction REVIEW!**


	4. Captive Butterfly!

**Time for chapter four. I hope you enjoy. Disclaimer: I own nothing**

* * *

Chapter Four: Captive Butterfly!

* * *

At the Nanase's residence

The young ravenette was in her room, trying to decide which of the five pairs of swimsuits, which were all the same, to wear.

"Can't decide..." she mumbled to herself.

Then the door to her room slid up.

"Onee-chan." Kokoro called. "Mako-onii-chan is waiting outside. Hurry and pick a swimsuit."

"Okay, just a minute." Haru replied, not taking her eyes off of the swimsuits.

Finally, after some more thinking, the young woman picked out a swimsuit. After taking off her pajamas, she started to pulled on her swimsuit. When she finished putting it on, Haru immediately noticed something.

'It feels tight on my chest.' she thought as she looked down at her chest. "Damn it..." she silently cursed. "Stupid things have grown again." she said to herself, frowning a bit at her breasts. "What's the point of them being so big?"

"Onee-chan, are you done?" Kokoro asked as she walked into her cousin's room. "Hey..." she started to say, staring at the older girl's ample chest. "Have your breasts grown again, Onee-chan?"

"Unfortunately." Haru sighed, taking her school uniform from the hanger in her closet.

"I don't see what's so bad about it." the violet haired girl remarked she watched her cousin put on her uniform. "A lot of girls wish they had a bust as huge as yours."

"Shut up." the ravenette said in monotone as she flicked the ten year old hard on the forehead.

"Ah!" Kokoro cried out, holding a hand to her forehead. "That was mean!" she complained.

"You'll live." Haru stated coolly. "Come on, Makoto is waiting for us." she said as she walked out of her room.

"I'm the one who told you that!" Kokoro exclaimed as she followed her cousin.

* * *

Outside the house

Makoto was sitting on the stairs and playing with the white little kitten. He chuckled when the kitten leapt at the piece of catnip he held in his hand.

"Mako-onii-chan."

Makoto turned his head and saw Haru and Kokoro walking towards the stairs.

"Morning." he greeted as he stood up.

"Good morning." Kokoro greeted back.

"Haru, today's the big day." the olive green haired teen said to his childhood friend, smiling at her.

* * *

Later, at Iwatobi High School

"Okay!" Gou said to the rest of the swim club. "We officially have four club members now, and it's warming up outside, so we finally begin training in the pool today..."

Suddenly, the redheaded girl felt two people run past her and heard two loud splashes.

"Hold on! Could you both listen to what I have to say first, Haru-senpai, Kokoro-chan?!" Gou yelled, dropping the piece of paper she was holding, as she turned around and saw the two cousins swimming in the water. "Please, Haru-senpai, Kokoro-chan?!" she begged. She sighed. "Come on..."

"Is this some kind of formula?" Rei asked as he picked up the paper the club's manager dropped.

"Where?" Makoto asked as he looked at the paper.

"What is it?"

"Oh. You know what warming up means, right? This one means kicking practice with a kickboard. Pull refers to when you use a pull buoy to train your arms." the olive green haired man explained.

"Is this someone's name?" Rei asked as he pointed to the initials that were at the bottom of the paper.

Makoto laughed a bit from the first year's question. "That's an abbreviation for medley relay." he said. "It's a relay where the four swimmers swim equal legs using back, breast, butterfly, and free in that order.' he explained.

"Back, breast, butterfly..." Rei repeated.

"Back refers to the backstroke. Breast refers to the breaststroke. Butterfly refers to the butterfly stroke." Makoto explained once again.

"And free refers to the front crawl." Rei said.

"No, free refers to freestyle." the second year told him. "You're allowed to use any stroke. But the front crawl is generally the fastest stroke, so that's what most swimmers use."

"There are a few swimmers who go with the butterfly." Nagisa said as he took the papar, squatting in front of the other first year.

"The butterfly stroke?" the blue haired young man questioned.

"Yep. Anyway, this is a solid training regimen. Did you come up with this yourself, Gou-chan?" the blonde first year asked redheaded girl.

"Can you stop calling me Gou?" Gou asked, scowling a bit. Then she sighed. "Forget it. I found that when I was cleaning the house. It's my Onii-chan's old regimen."

Unknown to them, Haru had heard this.

* * *

A little bit later

"Sit with legs apart and lean the upper body forward." Rei said to himself as he sat on the ground and did what he just said. "Bend one arm behind the head and use the other to the push the elbow toward the center of the body." he did that. "Lie down and turn my head while pulling my knee in the opposite direction. Hold twenty seconds." he did that, too. "Extend one arm straight while pulling it with the other..." he did as instructed.

"Are you that interested?" Gou asked Haru, who was staring at the training regimen. "In my Onii-chan's old regimen?"

"Not really." the revenette replied in monotone. "You can write down a regimen and not follow it." she said as she gave the paper to the club's manager.

Then she climbed onto one of the starting blocks, got into position, and dove into the water. Gou smiled a little as she giggled.

"So she is interested." she said to herself.

"So cold..." Makoto said as he climbed out of the pool. "The water is still pretty cold." he remarked.

"It feels fine to me." Kokoro said as she swam through the water.

"Not everyone has you and Haru's endurance, Kokoro-chan." the olive green haired young man retorted.

Out of the corner of his eye, Nagisa say that Rei was leaning against the fence that surrounded the pool.

"Place both hands on a wall and lean forward." the blue haired first year mumbled to himself as he did just that.

"Rei-chan, you're still stretching?" Nagisa asked as he got out of the pool with the ten year old girl.

"I want to be as safe as possible." Rei replied.

"You gonna be okay?" Makoto questioned. "You can take it slow..."

"If you ask me, he's stalling so he doesn't have to swim." Kokoro remarked as she frowned a bit in disapproval, crossing her arms over her chest.

"There's no need to worry." Rei said, ignoring the little girl's remark, as he stood straight up. "I've master the theory behind swimming in the past few days." he said as he took off his glasses and replaced them with swimming goggles. "I won't embarrass myself again!"

"Don't jinx yourself." Kokoro mumbled as she watched the first year climb onto one of the starting blocks.

'Rei...' Makoto thought, feeling a bit worried for the blue haired young man.

'Rei-chan...' Nagisa thought.

'Biceps!' Gou mentally exclaimed as she stared at the other first year's muscular arms with sparkly eyes.

'He's gonna drop like dead weight again.' Kokoro thought, staring at the older boy with a deadpan expression.

Haru watched from the other side of the pool with her usual blank look.

Rei got into position. Then he launched himself off the starting block. Makoto, Kokoro, and Nagisa were impressed by his form. A second later, the blue haired young man fell into the water like dead weight.

"I knew it..." the violet haired girl sighed.

Rei soon resurfaced for air.

"I think you need to start by learning how to swim." Nagisa remarked.

* * *

Later

"Let's start with the turtle float." Makoto said, in the pool with the two first years and ten year old girl.

"Me and Koko-chan will show you how it's done." Nagisa said as he put on his swimming goggles.

"Watch and learn, rookie." Kokoro told Rei as she put on her goggles, as well.

"You hug your knees to your chest and relax." Makoto explained as the short blonde and violet haired girl did exactly that.

"It's not beautiful." the blue haired young man commented.

"Just give it a try." the olive green haired swimmer said.

Rei did what the other two swimmers did.

"So he can float." Nagisa remarked.

"Well, that's a start." Kokoro said.

"Now, slowly extend your arms and legs and try to swim." Makoto instructed.

Rei did just that and tried to swim. However, he soon sunk under the water. He resurfaced for air.

"No good..." the club's captain remarked.

Gou squatted on the ground and watched from sidelines. Then she noticed a certain ravenette had swam close to where she was.

"Haru-senpai..." she spoke up.

Haru turned around to face the club's manager.

"Why do you swim?" Gou asked.

"I don't have a reason." the female swimmer replied as she bowed her head and stared at her reflection in the water.

"My Onii-chan's dream is to become an Olympic swimmer." the redheaded first year said. "That's why he went all the way to Australia to study."

"That's got nothing to do with me." Haru remarked in monotone. "Besides, it's just a dream."

"Perhaps. But I think he'll be a little closer to his dream if he's with you guys. Like when you swam the relay together."

The ravenette didn't say anything as she raised her head and looked at the first year girl, who was smiling at her.

* * *

Later that evening, at Samezuka Academy

"Finish! Good job!" Ai complimented when Rin touched the pool's wall. "That last spurt was incredible, Matsuoka-senpai!"

"One more time." Rin said before he started to swim to the other side.

"What? O-Okay." the silvery haired first year said as he restarted the stopwatch he had.

* * *

Later

"You're amazing Matsuoka-senpai." Ai complimented as he and Rin returned to their dorm room, the redhead himself sitting on his bed as he dried his hair with a towel.

"You should stop talking about how amazing I am and focus on finding your own style." Rin said.

"I'm a lost cause." the first year remarked. "I haven't made any progress. I guess it comes down to talent. I was really impressed by Nanase-san at our joint practice..."

"Nitori." the second year student spoke up as he stopped drying his hair. "Is that really what you think?" he asked as he looked at his roommate with narrowed eyes.

Ai flinched from the stare.

"They just started up their swim club and haven't had a real practice yet." Rin said as he stood up. "You can tell by looking at their bodies. They haven't been working out." he remarked as he threw the towel he was using over his shoulder and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

The silvery haired first year just stood where he was and stared at the door.

* * *

Sometime later

'Given the condition she's in, my victory means nothing.' Rin thought as he jogged. 'It doesn't count as a win.'

* * *

Meanwhile

"I can't believe this is the only supermarket that's open this late at night." Kokoro said to herself as she walked out of the supermarket, a bag a groceries in her arms. "Onee-chan is going to get really mad at me for staying out so late." comical streams of tears flowed down her cheeks. "She's probably going to ban me from mackerel again."

As she walked down a street, the little girl noticed a moving figure out of the corner of her eye.

"Is that..?" Kokoro turned her head to get a better look. "Ah, it is. Onii-chan!" she called out.

"Eh?" Rin looked over his shoulder when he heard the familiar, childish, and female voice call out to him. "Ah!" he cried out when he suddenly tripped over his own feet and fell to the ground.

"Oh my!" Kokoro exclaimed as she rushed over to the fallen swimmer.

'It's like I'm cursed.' the redhead swimmer thought as he pulled himself up. 'Wherever I look, she's there.'

"Onii-chan, are you okay?" the violet haired girl asked when she stood besides the older boy. "That was quite the fall. Who knew you could be so clumsy." she remarked.

"It's your fault that I fell!" Rin yelled. "What are you doing out here this late, anyway?" he asked.

"I was doing some grocery shopping." Kokoro replied. "What about you? Are you jogging?" she questioned.

"I was until someone made me fall." the redheaded young man said as he stood up.

"Ah! You're hurt!" the ten year old girl exclaimed as she put her bag down and grabbed the older boy's larger hand with her smaller ones, looking at the scratch he got on his palm when he fell.

"It's just a scratch." Rin said simply.

"But it could get a infected, and that would be really bad." Kokoro told him. "Coincidentally, it just so happens that I bought some band-aids at the store." still holding onto his hand with one of her own, the little girl used her other hand to dig into her grocery bag. "Here they are." she said as she pulled out a box of band-aids. She took one out and removed it from it's covering. "Now, I'm going to put this on you." she said to Rin. "But first..." then Kokoro pulled his hand closer to her, closed her eyes, and placed her lips over the scratch.

The redheaded swimmer was taken aback from the little girl's action, his eyes widening slightly.

After a few seconds, Kokoro pulled back.

"I just gave you the kiss of healing." she said, opening her eyes and smiling at the older boy. Then she placed the band-aid over the scratch on his palm. "Pain, pain, go away~" she sang, rubbing the now band-aid covered scratch. "There we go, that should do it. Does it feel better, Onii-chan?" the violet haired girl asked.

Rin stared at the little girl. "Yeah..." he said softly. "It does."

"That's great." Kokoro sighed in relief. "You know, it's dangerous for you to jog this late at night." she stated matter-of-factly as she picked up her grocery bag.

"Says the little girl who's out shopping." the male swimmer retorted.

"Touche." the ten year old girl said. "Well, I have to get home. Onee-chan is going to blow a fuse for me being gone for so long. Ne, Onii-chan, I'll tell her you said hi."

"Don't bother." Rin said. "Go and annoy someone else." he told her as he jogged away.

"Is that anyway to thank the person who helped you with your injury?!" Kokoro yelled.

The male swimmer didn't make any response as he continued to jog.

"Of all of the ungrateful..." the violet haired girl mumbled under her breath, frowning. Reaching her into her grocery bag, Kokoro pulled out a potato. "Onii-chan, you jerk!" she yelled as she threw the vegetable at the older boy's head.

Suddenly, Rin stopped jogging. He held up his hand and caught the potato, all without turning his head.

"Eh?" the ten year old girl said, her eyes wide.

"Hey, Kokoro-chan." the redhead swimmer called as he turned around to face the little girl. He had an innocent, yet very scary smile on his face. "Why in the world did you just throw a vegetable at my head?" he asked as he started to walk back over to her.

Kokoro flinched from his smile, her two strands of hair going stiff. "Um... Uh..." was all she could say.

"Hmm?" Rin hummed as he knelt down in front of her, the same smile on his face. "Why did you?" he asked again.

Kokoro ran in cold sweat, shaking in fear when she saw the angry look in the young man's piercing red eyes. She gulped. Then she snatched the potato out of his hand. "Run away!" she exclaimed as she turned around and ran like her life depended on it, which in this case it did.

"You better run, you damn brat!" Rin yelled as he stood up and shook an anger fist at the little girl's retreating figure. "Why is she so annoying?" he questioned as he put his fist down when he saw Kokoro disappear when she rounded a corner. Then he looked down at his hand and stared at the band-aid that the little girl had placed over the scratch he got. "She's annoying..." he said to himself. "But she's a good kid."

Sighing, the male swimmer turned around and continued his jog.

* * *

The next day, at Iwatobi High School

"Haru-chan! Mako-chan! Hello!" Nagisa greeted as he dragged Rei into the second year's classroom. "Look at this!" he said excitedly as he placed a magazine on the desk the two were using.

"Uniforms?" Makoto questioned when he saw what the magazine was about.

"Yep. We have a swim club now, so we should get matching uniforms. We can even get one for Koko-chan." the short blonde said.

"That's a good idea." the olive green haired teen remarked. "It'll give our club more of an official look."

"I know, right? I think we should go with this design, and color. And we can use an image in addition to the school emblem."

"Are you thinking about putting Iwatobi-chan on there?" Rei asked.

"That was the plan." Nagisa replied.

"But it's not beautiful."

"I think Samezuka's design incorporates a shark and a katana." Makoto said.

Haru picked up a pencil and started drawing on her sketchpad.

"Theirs is pretty cool!" the blonde first year commented. "We could put a real rockhopper penguin on ours, then. What do you think, Haru-chan?"

The ravenette didn't reply. She put down her pencil and turned her sketchpad to show the boys her drawing. It was a well made drawing of the school's mascot.

"B-Beautiful..." Rei said.

"Huh?" Makoto and Nagisa stared at the blue haired young man.

* * *

Later, inside the changing room of the pool

"Forget about buying matching uniforms for now." Gou said as she took the magazine from Nagisa, causing him to whine. She tossed the it aside and held out a piece of paper. "Here!"

"Is that a new training regimen?" Makoto asked.

"Yes! I revamped the regimen to account for the fact that Rei-kun can't swim." the redheaded girl said. "Rei-kun!"

"Wh-What is it?" Rei asked.

"Given how much time we have until the regional tournament, you have to learn how to swim within a week." Gou said.

"Within a week?" the blue haired first year repeated. He then laughed. "That's conceptually impossible."

"This is no laughing matter!" the first year girl snapped, bringing her face closer to the taller boy's.

"Yes, ma'am!" Rei shouted, his hands held up.

"If you fail, you won't be able to complete this training regimen!" Gou told him with a serious look as she showed him the piece of paper.

* * *

Seven days until the tournament

"I'll go first. I can teach you frog style." Nagisa said, in the pool with Rei.

"The breaststroke. Or breast, right?" the blue haired young man said.

"You've done your homework, Rei-chan." the blonde first year commented.

"I've learned all of the concepts. I just need to figure out how to make it work. That's all."

"Don't get too confident, Rei-onii-chan." Kokoro remarked, sitting on the side of the pool with her cousin and Makoto.

"Then let's start with your legs." Nagisa said. He grabbed the other first year's hands and pulled him forward.

Rei kicked his legs as the short blonde pulled him through the water.

"Wow, Rei-chan!" Nagisa said in amazement. "Your form is perfect."

"Naturally." the blue haired young man said, a bit of arrogance in his tone.

"What did I just say about you being too confident?" Kokoro questioned, puffing out her cheeks.

"I'm going to let go, then." Nagisa said to Rei.

"Go ahead." the blue haired first year said.

The short blonde let go of the other first year's hands. Rei started to move his hands.

"Wow, your stroke is also perfec-" Nagisa stopped when he saw the taller boy sink underwater.

Rei soon resurfaced for air. "Why?" he questioned himself.

"Maybe because you were too confident." Kokoro said.

* * *

Six days until the tournament

"If you're having trouble with breast, we can start with back." Makoto said. "With the backstroke, you keep your face above the surface, so it's easier for people who are scared of water."

"I'm not scared of water." Rei said as he turned around and lowered himself into the water.

"Move slowly." the olive green haired teen told him as he grabbed his wrist and pulled him slowly through the water.

"He knows how to float." Nagisa remarked.

"I guess it's better than nothing." Kokoro said.

"Naturally." Rei said. "My condition wasn't optimal yesterday."

"I'm gonna let go, then." Makoto said.

"Go ahead."

The club's captain let go of the first year's wrists. A moment later, Rei sunk under the water. He later resurfaced for air.

"What am I doing wrong?" Rei asked himself.

"This is hopeless." Kokoro remarked as she laid down on the side of the pool.

"Haru-chan, teach him how to swim!" Nagisa said to the older girl.

"No, that requires effort." Haru remarked in monotone.

"Man, don't be that way!" the short blonde complained as he rubbed his head on the young woman's shoulder.

"I could teach you, Rei-onii-chan." Kokoro offered as she sat up and smiled at the blue haired boy.

"Thank you, but I don't think being taught by a child will do." Rei remarked.

The little girl's smile dropped. "Excuse me?" she asked in monotone, her face going blank.

The boys jumped a little from how much she looked and sounded like Haru just now.

"I may be only ten years old, but I'm obviously more experienced than you when it comes to swimming." Kokoro stated to Rei, crossing her arms over her chest and one of her legs over the other.

The blue haired young man flinched from her statement, knowing she was right.

"Compared to me, you're nothing more than a pathetic rookie." the violet haired girl remarked. "People like you shouldn't even be allowed in the water."

Rei felt as if a very sharp knife went through his heart, his face turning pale as he gaped.

"K-K-Koroko-chan..." Makoto spoke up. "That was a bit harsh, don't you think?"

"She really is Haru-chan's cousin." Nagisa said.

"This isn't going well..." Gou remarked after watching the scene that just happened. Then an idea came to her. "Ama-chan-sensei, do you have any excellent advice to offer?" she asked the lady teacher, who was sitting in a chair next to her.

"Let's see..." Ms. Amakata said as she started to think.

Everyone watched their advisor as she concentrated on what to say to the students. However, she couldn't think of anything to help them.

* * *

Five days until the tournament

At the Nanase residents, on a rainy day

"Okay, let's begin the 'Let's figure out why Rei-chan can't swim' meeting." Nagisa said as everyone sat in the living. "Anybody have any thoughts?" he asked.

"The water doesn't like him." Haru and Kokoro said in unison.

"Poor Rei-chan..." the short blonde said, looking at the other first year with a pitiful stare.

"That can't be." Makoto spoke up.

"Maybe he's athletically challenged!" Gou suggested.

"Rei-chan's really fast." Nagisa commented. "And he does well on tests."

"So you must be smart." Makoto said.

"Do you like mackerel?" the two cousins asked in unison.

"DHA..." Gou said more to herself.

"I know! He's head is too heavy!" Nagisa exclaimed.

"All that studying has enlarged his brain!" the redheaded first year agreed.

"It makes perfect sense!" Kokro agreed as well.

Rei slammed his hand on the table. "That's enough!" he yelled as he shot up. "The problem is the way you guys teach! If I had a proper coach, I would be fine!"

Everyone stared at the blue haired young man.

"A coach..." Makoto said. An idea came to him. "There is a coach!"

* * *

Later

"What? You want me to teach a kid who sinks like a rock? Because I used to be a coach?" Sasabe asked as he sat in the ravenette's living.

"I object." Rei said, pushing his glasses further up his nose. "I can float, I do not sink like a rock. A more accurate analogy would be to call me a submarine."

"Either way, you sink, Rei-onii-chan." Kokoro remarked as she and everyone else munched on the pizza the old swimming coach had bought.

"Hey, Goro-chan, we want you to teach him how to swim." Nagisa said, his mouth full of food.

"Don't talk and eat at the same time!" Sasabe scolded. "I'm a busy man." he said as he stood up. "Why don't you guys teach him?" he questioned as started to walk away. "Bye."

Everyone just sat as they heard the door open and close.

"That didn't work." Makoto remarked.

"It was worth a shot." Kokoro said.

* * *

The next day, at the Iwatobi High School swimming pool.

Four more days until the tournament

"I finally know the reason why I can't swim!" Rei exclaimed.

"Really?" Nagisa asked, in the pool with the other members and Kokoro.

"You figured it out?" Makoto questioned.

"Yes, the answer was right under my nose." the blue haired first year said.

"What is it?" Kokoro asked.

"The answer is..." Rei started to say.

"The answer is?" Makoto and Nagisa repeated in unison.

"My swimsuit! This speedo is to blame!" the blue haired young man declared.

"I let you borrow that, right?" the blonde first year asked, getting out of the pool with Makoto and Kokoro. "That's kinda mean." he said, pouting.

"It is not mean!" Rei shouted, causing Nagisa to jump a bit.

"You're really blaming your inability to swim on your speedo?" the violet haired girl questioned. "That one heck of an excuse."

"The problem is that this speedo is not streamlined for my body, I think!"

"You think?" Kokoro repeated, giving the older boy a dubious look.

"I haven't crunched the numbers yet!"

"He's really big on sticking to form." Nagisa remarked.

"Well, I don't see why he can't buy a new swimsuit." Makoto said.

"Am I the only one who's hearing Rei-onii-chan laugh like a madman?" Kokoro asked as she listened to the first year student laugh a bit crazily.

* * *

The next day, three days until the tournament

"So why didn't Ama-chan-sensei come with us to buy his swimsuits?" Makoto asked as the rest of the swim club, and Kokoro, rode a train to their destination.

"She worked for a swimsuit marker in Tokyo, right?" Gou questioned.

"Well, I did ask her, but..." Nagisa spoke up.

* * *

 _Flashback_

"Um, I have something else to do on Sunday." Ms. Amakata said. "Plus, there are other bands! I have my reasons. I won't be able to provide an objective perspective."

 _Flashback End_

* * *

"What's with the flurry of random excuses?" Rei asked after hearing the story.

'Ama-chan-sensei really has a mysterious past.' Kokoro thought.

* * *

Later, everyone arrived at their destination.

"There are a lot to chose from." Gou remarked as she viewed the swimsuits that were on sale.

"I can't believe that they don't have any in my size." Kokoro complained, pouting.

"We can go shopping for a swimsuit for you when we're done here, Kokoro-chan." the redheaded first year told the young girl, smiling at her.

"Fluid mechanics would tell you that Reynolds numbers and boundary layer theory are key points, but I believe that the color also plays a psychological role." Rei said in a matter-of-fact tone. "I'll also need some prescription goggles." he said as he picked up a box of prescription goggles. "Blurry vision may be another reason for my difficulties."

"You can't see without your glasses?" Nagisa questioned as he took the other first year's glasses from behind.

"Wait!" Rei yelled.

"I haven't leaned any of the concepts!" the short blonde said, doing a voice impression of the blue haired young man, while he put on his glasses, causing his eyes to puff comically.

"Hey, wait, Nagisa-kun!" Rei shouted as he chased after the other first year. "Give them back! You're going to hurt your eyes!"

"Found something you like, Onee-chan?" Kokoro asked her older cousin, who was looking at a pair of swimsuits that were exactly like the ones she already owned.

"I'm trying this one." Haru said as she headed towards the changing area.

"Oh, Haru-senpai is also looking to buy a swimsuit." Gou remarked.

* * *

"Have you finished changing?" Nagisa asked as he, Kokoro, and Makoto stood outside the two changing booths their friends were in.

"It's clear that this fits me much better than a speedo." Rei said from behind the curtain of one of the booths.

The curtain drew back.

"Rainbow?!" the trio exclaimed when they saw the swimsuit the first year was wearing.

"A rainbow for Rei?" Nagisa questioned.

"I'm accounting for the fact each color has a different psychological impact." Rei explained.

"So you don't care how it looks?" Makoto asked.

"I think it somewhat suits him." Kokoro said.

"I'm done changing." Haru voice called from the other changing booth next to Rei's.

The curtain drew back.

"What do you think?" the ravenette asked.

"Wow, I can't tell how it's different from her usual swimsuit." Makoto remarked.

"Isn't it the same?" Nagisa asked.

"No. I like the way this one fits better." Haru said, a small smile gracing her lips.

The olive green haired teen did nothing but gape at what his childhood friend just said.

"I think Onee-chan looks really cool." Kokoro complimented.

"Mako-chan, let's try some on!" Nagisa said excitedly.

"What? I have to join in?" Makoto questioned as the shorter boy started to push him towards some swimsuits.

'Changing rooms and muscles...' Gou thought as she watched the scene from a nearby bench. 'Now, there's a nice combo you don't see every day!'

"Ta-da!" Nagisa exclaimed after changing into the swimsuit he picked out, which was a pair of short, pink swimming trunks with white lines running across it.

"That looks good." Kokoro complimented.

"D-Does it look funny at all?" Makoto asked after changing, his swimsuit being a black swimsuit that covered his body without sleeves.

"You're rocking it, Mako-onii-chan!" the violet haired girl declared.

"Butterflies have the psychological..."

"Where did you find that thing?!" the ten year old cut off Rei when she saw his swimsuit, which was somewhat similar to the one the swim club's captain picked but had a pattern of purple butterflies on it.

"This is also good." Haru said after changing swimsuits.

"Even though it looks cool on you, tell us how it's different, Onee-chan!" Kokoro exclaimed when saw that the swimsuit her cousin changed into was exactly the same as the one from before.

"Delicious." Gou said to herself as she checked out the boys, not the female swimmer's, muscles when they changed.

However, after a few more swimsuit changes, the redheaded girl started to feel a bit tired.

* * *

"I'm exhausted." Gou said as she picked up the drinks she got for her and Kokoro from the vending machine in the hallway.

"Is shopping for clothes always like this?" the violet haired girl asked as the older girl gave her one of the drinks.

"Now I know how guys feel when they have to go shopping with girls." the redheaded manager remarked.

"Hey. Fancy meeting you two here." a familiar male voice called out.

"Captain Mikoshiba..." Gou said when she saw the orange haired young man.

"Seijirou-onii-chan, hello." Kokoro greeted.

"Are you doing some shopping, Kokoro-chan, Gou-kun?" Seijirou asked the two girls.

"Please don't put Gou and '-kun' together." the redheaded first year said.

"We're here to look for new swimsuits." the orange haired swim captain told them.

"Does that mean my Onii-chan is here?" Gou asked.

"Hm? Yeah, Matsuoka is also here."

Kokoro and Gou looked over at a certain ravenette, who was still trying on the same swimsuit. A idea formed in their minds as sneaky grins came onto their faces, their eyes filling with mischief. They looked at one another and nodded their heads at the same time.

* * *

'How did those two convince me to do this again?' Haru asked herself mentally as she changed into a pair of black jogging pants and a red sports bra, which seemed too tight on her chest. 'That's right, Kokoro gave me that puppy dog look. Curse her for being so cute.' the ravenette thought as she finished changing.

"Kokoro, Kou, I don't think this fits me." Haru called as she pulled back the curtain and stepped out of the changing booth.

However, she didn't see her cousin nor the swim club's manager.

'Where did they go?' the young woman asked herself mentally as she looked around a bit. She looked down at her chest. 'I guess they don't move so much.' she thought as she placed her hands on her breasts and pushed them up a little.

Then she heard the sound of the curtain of the changing booth next to the one she was using slide open.

"Nitori?" Rin called out as he stepped out of booth and looked around for his roommate. When he turned his head to the right, he immediately noticed the ravenette. "Haru?!" he exclaimed.

"Rin!" Haru exclaimed as well.

The redhead soon noticed where her hands were and blushed heavily.

"Kokoro and Kou made me try this on." the young woman told him.

"I see..." was all Rin said as he hesitantly turned his head away from the other swimmer, his face still a dark red. 'That explains the text I got from her.' he thought.

* * *

 _Flashback, a few minutes ago_

"I don't recognize this number..." Rin said to himself as he pulled out his phone to see you had just texted him.

 _From: Unknown_

 _Subject:_

 _Hello, Onii-chan! How are you? It's me, Kokoro._

The redhead's eyes went wide after reading the message.

'How in the hell did she get my number?!' he mentally exclaimed. 'Is she stalking me or something?'

He soon got another text

 _From: Unknown_

 _Subject:_

 _In case you're wondering how I got your number, Kou-onee-chan gave it to me. I'll send you my number later. By the way, I was told your favorite colors were red and black, nice choices. One more thing, you are now indebted to the great Kokoro-sama._

'Why did she put '-sama' at the end?' Rin question mentally.

 _Flashback End_

* * *

'So this must be what she meant by I'm indebted to her.' the redheaded swimmer thought as he gave a quick glance at the ravenette, who had finally removed her hands from her chest. 'No doubt she and Gou are behind this.'

"Oh, this is perfect for Rei-chan!" the voice of a certain blonde first year brought the young man out of his thoughts.

"Wait, that's another speedo!" Rei shouted.

"I wanted to talk to you." Rin said to Haru. "Come with me."

The ravenette said nothing, just nodded her head.

* * *

Later

"Haru, what have you been doing the past three years?" Rin asked the young woman as he leaned against the fence outside the store.

"Growing out my hair." Haru replied in monotone, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.

The reply made the redheaded swimmer chuckle, even though he wasn't sure if she was joking or not.

"I've noticed. Long hair suits you." he said.

The ravenette blinked, not expected the compliment.

"I didn't think you would be interested in women's hairstyles, Rin." Haru said, trying to ignore the way her heart was pounding from the compliment.

"You're better than this." the redhead remarked.

"I'm not better than someone who just got back from Australia." the young woman said.

"Are you mocking me?" Rin asked, turning his head to look at her.

"I'm not. You won our race."

"It would be hard not to beat you, given the shape you're in."

"A win is a win. You won. Isn't that good enough?" Haru questioned as she turned her gaze from the slightly taller teenager.

"It's not!" Rin yelled. "I want a real race!" he lowered his head. "Or else I can't move on." he said in a softer tone of voice.

"You're such a pain in the ass." the ravenette said, a bit more to herself, before she turned to walk away. "I only swim free. I won't swim for you."

Suddenly, Haru felt a hand grab her shoulder and was pushed against the fence, two arms on either side of her head.

"No. You're going to swim for me." Rin said as he stared into the young woman's ocean blue eyes with is own piercing red ones.

Haru gripped the fence tightly for moment until she removed her hand and placed it on one of the redhead's arm.

"In that case, I want you to promise me something." she said coolly as he pushed his arm back. "If you lose, don't say you're going to quit." she took a step forward, causing him to step back. "Don't embarrass yourself. Don't cry if you lose."

Rin was taken aback by what she said. Then he scoffed and pulled his arm back from her grip. "I'm not a little kid anymore." he told her. "This time, I'll make it clear how different you and I are."

"Whatever." Haru replied in monotone. She turned to walk away again.

Then she suddenly felt a hand grab her wrist.

"What is it this time?" the ravenette asked, getting annoyed from this little game he seemed to be playing, as she turned her head back around.

Not saying anything, Rin lifted his other hand and used it to grab Haru's chin. The young woman blinked, taken aback by his action.

"Rin?" Haru questioned.

"Haru..." the redhead said softly, an unreadable expression on his face.

Then, much to the ravenette's surprise, he started to lean closer to her, his eyes half-lidded. For some reason, Haru couldn't bring herself to pull away from him. Before she knew it, Rin's face was just a few inches from her's, his lips just a mere inch away from her's.

"Oh! There they are!"

The suddenly sound of a certain blonde first year's voice snapped the both of them out of whatever trance they seemed to be under. Rin released Haru's chin and pulled away from her. The two swimmers just stared at one another, both not knowing what to say.

Rin was the first to speak.

"Try to build some muscle before the prefectural tournament." he said as he turned around and started to walk away. "We'll settle things there. See you at the tournament."

Haru said nothing as she watched the redheaded swimmer's retreating figure.

* * *

Later that evening, at Samezuka Academy

Rin was in the academy's indoor pool by himself, getting in some late minute practice. When he reached the other side of the pool, he stopped for a moment to catch his breath.

"You're very fast." a very familiar, and feminine voice commented.

The redheaded young man looked up and found himself staring into a pair of ocean blue eyes.

"Kokoro..." Rin said when he saw the little girl.

"Yo." Kokoro greeted casually, smiling at the swimmer. She held up two water bottles that were in her hands. "I figured you might be thirsty. It's important for an athlete to keep himself hydrated, you know?"

"Why are you here?" the redheaded young man asked as he pulled himself out of the pool to sit on the side, pulling off his swimming cap.

"Can't a girl come around to visit for no particular reason?" the violet haired girl questioned as she sat down besides the older boy and handed him one of the water bottles. She took off her socks and shoes and dripped her feet into the water.

"Knowing you, definitely not." Rin remarked before he took a sip of water.

"So rude." Kokoro commented, frowning as one of cheeks puffed out to form a cute pout. Then she sighed. "You know, I'm a bit disappointed." she said as she gulped down her own water.

"How come?" the male swimmer asked.

"Water is delicious." the ten year old girl said after taking a drink of water.

"Don't change the subject!" Rin yelled.

"Alright, geez, no need to yell." Kokoro stated, rubbing her right ear.

The redheaded young man growled in annoyance as he glared at the little girl.

"You really are annoying..." he said more to himself.

"Anyway, the reason I'm disappointed is because your kiss with Onee-chan was interrupted." Kokoro said.

"Pfft!" Rin spit out the water he was drinking when he heard what the little girl just said.

"Onii-chan, are you okay?!" the violet haired girl asked in concern when she saw the older boy coughing up a storm. "There, there." she said as she patted his back.

"H-How do you know about that?!" Rin asked as soon as he stopped coughing, his face turning red.

"Kou-onee-chan and I listened and watched what happened between you and Onee-chan outside the store earlier today." Kokoro answered honestly. "I'm surprised how slow you were going for the kiss, Onii-chan. I thought for a second that you were doing to do something naughty to Onee-chan when you suddenly pinned her to the fence." a grin appeared on her face. "To be honest, I'm not really surprised. You do seem like the forceful type, Onii-chan. I'm starting to think you're a closet sadist."

"Shut up!" Rin yelled as he brought his fist down on the ten year old's head.

"Ow! You just hit a girl! So mean!" Kokoro exclaimed, holding a hand to her head.

"That's what you get for saying stupid things." the male swimmer said.

"You jerk!" the violet haired girl shouted as she stood up and grabbed her discarded socks and shoes. "I'm going home." she said as she turned around and starting to walk away.

"Good riddance." Rin said as he, too, stood up. "And don't come back."

As she pushed open the door of the indoor pool, Kokoro stopped for a moment. "Onii-chan." she called as she turned to looked at the older boy.

"What is it this time?" the redheaded young man asked curtly, scowling at the little girl.

"How's your scratch?" the ten year old asked. "Is it better?"

Rin was taken aback by her question. "I-It's fine." he replied.

"Really? That's good." Kokoro smiled as she sighed in relief. "I'll see you later, Onii-chan." she said to the male swimmer. "Bye, bye, you sadistic, tsundere, shark." she said.

"Get the hell out of here!" the redheaded young man yelled.

The violet haired girl laughed as she walked through the door and exited the pool.

"I swear..." Rin sighed, running a hand through his hair. "That girl sure is something." he looked down at the water bottle Kokoro had given him. "But, she really is a good kid."

Sighing once more, the male swimmer returned to his swimming practice.

* * *

The next day, at Iwatobi High School swimming pool

Two days until the tournament

"Swimming cap, check. Prescription goggles, check. Not a speedo, check." Rei said , now wearing long, black swimming trunks with blue lines down the sides, as he hopped onto one of the starting blocks.

"He looks like a world-class swimmer from here." Nagisa remarked from the sidelines of the pool with the rest of the team.

"I wonder if he can act the part." Kokoro commented.

"Maybe he'll actually manage to swim this time." Makoto said.

"Yep! I think this might work!" Gou stated.

As for Haru, she just stood and watched with an expressionless face.

Rei got into position. Then he launched himself off the starting block.

"His entry angle is perfect!" Makoto remarked, impressed along with everyone else, expect the ravenette.

The blue haired young man dove under the water. The entire swim team just sat and watched the first year trying to swim through the water. A moment later, Rei resurfaced for air.

"Why?!" he exclaimed.

"I knew it was too good to be true." Kokoro said, sighing.

Then everyone saw Haru jump into the water and swim towards Rei. When she reached him, the young woman resurfaced.

"I'll teach you." Haru said in monotone.

The first year was taken aback by what she just said.

"You want to learn how to swim, right?" the ravenette questioned.

"P-Please help me!" Rei begged as he bowed in front of the female swimmer.

"However, I can only teach you free." Haru told him.

"Yes!" the blue haired young man said as he straightened himself up.

"Haru's going to teach someone how to swim?" Makoto said in disbelief.

"Bringing in the big guns!" Nagisa remarked.

"Show him how it's done, Onee-chan!" Kokoro called out.

Soon, Haru started teaching Rei how to swim freestyle, causing the blue haired young man to blush when she had to get close to him to show him how to do something correctly.

* * *

Later that evening

"That's everything I have to teach you." Haru said to the first year. "The rest is up to you. Believe in yourself."

"Yes!" Rei said as he adjusted his goggles over his eyes.

He placed his feet on the wall of the pool. Then he pushed himself off and starting to try to swim. Everyone just stayed where they were and watched the first year. As he kept swimming, Rei sank under the water. The rest of the team's eyes darkened. The blue haired young man soon resurfaced.

"Why?!" he yelled.

"Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration." Ms. Amakata suddenly said.

"Isn't that a quote from Edison?" Makoto asked, looking at the lady teacher with the others.

"So hard work will always triumph over natural talent." Ms. Amakata quoted again.

"I guess he'll have to keep practicing." Nagisa said.

"However..." the brown haired teacher spoke up. "You can interpret Edison'd quote to mean that hard work means nothing without that flash of inspiration, don't you think?"

"A rejection of hard work?!" Kokoro and Gou exclaimed in unison.

* * *

Sometime later

Rei was sitting in front of the fence that surrounded the pool, staring at nothing in particular.

"Haruka-senpai..." he said when he saw the ravenette walk over to him.

"Do what you want." Haru said.

"What do you mean?" the first year asked, not getting what the young woman meant.

"Don't think about swimming. Just dive in."

"I don't understand what you mean."

"Dive in with your heart." Haru told him.

"That doesn't help." Rei said.

"Go by your senses..." the female swimmer started to say.

"Can you stop using abstract expressions?" the first year cut her off. "How can I learn to swim as freely as you do?" he asked. "I'm very frustrated. Why can't I swim?"

Then Haru remembered the words that Rin had said to her the other day.

"I'm not free either." she told Rei.

The blue haired young man looked up at the young woman, surprised by what she said.

"What are Haru-chan and Rei-chan doing?" Nagisa asked when he saw the two swimmers together.

"Nagisa. Leave them alone for now." Makoto said.

"I have a feeling they have a lot in common." Kokoro remarked.

The short blonde looked over at Haru, who was now sitting on the ground, and Rei and smiled. "You're right." he said.

* * *

The next day, at the Iwatobi High School swimming Pool

Today is the last day.

"Since it's come to this, let's have him use a kickboard in the tournament!" Nagisa said, a kickboard in his hands.

"Do the rules allow that?" Gou asked.

"That's an option." Makoto remarked. "I don't think the rules prohibit it."

"We'll have to look that up." the blonde first year said.

Then the three students turned to the pool and saw someone swimming in it, doing the butterfly stroke.

"Someone's swimming butterfly." Gou stated the obvious.

"Is that Haru-chan or Koko-chan?" Nagisa questioned.

"But Haru and Kokoro-chan both only swim free." Makoto said.

"It's not us." Haru and Kokoro said from behind the others in unison, causing them to jump in surprise.

"That means..." the redheaded first year starting to say as everyone looked towards the pool again.

"Rei-chan?!" Nagisa exclaimed when he saw a pair of red-framed glasses laying besides one of the starting blocks.

A moment later, the blue haired young man rose up from the water, taking off him swimming cap and goggles.

"Were you just swimming butterfly?!" the blonde first year asked incredulously as everyone walked closer to the pool.

"It was the only stroke I hadn't tried yet." Rei replied, putting his glasses back on. "Once I tried it, I was able to swim."

"What?!" everyone, except Haru, exclaimed in disbelief.

"Why?!" Gou questioned.

"Well..." the blue haired first year started to say as he turned his head to look at a certain ravenette, who held up her index finger to let a butterfly land on it. "I'm not free." he said quietly.

"Did you say something, Rei-onii-chan?" Kokoro asked.

Rei smiled. "No, I can't explain it either." he said.

"Seriously?" Gou questioned.

"Well, I guess it worked out in the end." Makoto remarked.

"Hey, Rei-chan." Nagisa spoke up. "Can you do another lap?" he asked.

"Sure." the blue haired young man said.

Everyone, expect Haru, just stood and watched in amazement as they watched the first year swim through the water.

 _To be continued..._

* * *

 **Omake Two:**

 _Four years ago_

"Kokoro, what's inside that bag?" Rin asked the six year old girl as he and the others walked up the stairs to the Nanase household.

"It's something for Onee-chan." Kokoro answered, clutching the small bag she had in her hands to her chest. "Yesterday, I accidentally broke a dolphin figurine that belonged to her, and she was mad. So, I bought her something as a way to say I'm sorry."

"Is it what I think it is?" Makoto asked as they reached the house's door.

"Yep." the violet haired little girl nodded her head. "I just hope it works. I don't like it when Onee-chan is angry with me."

"I'm sure Haru-chan will forgive you once she sees what you have for her, Koko-chan." Nagisa reassured the little girl.

"What is it?" Rin asked.

"You'll have to wait and see." Kokoro told him. Then she opened the door. "Onee-chan, I'm home!" she announced as she and the boys walked inside the house. Kokoro went into the living room and saw her cousin sitting at the table. "Onee-chan, I have something for you." she said as she walked over to the older girl.

"What is it?" Haru asked in monotone.

"Something to say that I'm sorry for breaking your dolphin figurine." Kokoro replied. She reached inside the bag she had. "Take a look at this!" she pulled out a small, stuffed bear with light blue fur with dark blue jewel eyes.

'A stuffed animal?!' Rin thought in disbelief. 'There's no way Haru would want something like that.'

Then he saw the raven haired girl visibly stiffen as her eyes widened slightly when she saw the stuffed animal, her ocean blue eyes glazing over with what seemed to be an adoring look.

"I-Is this..." Haru started to say, staring intensely at the stuffed bear.

"It's for you." Kokoro said, placing the stuffed bear in her cousin's hands. "It's my way of saying I'm sorry for what I did."

"All is forgiven." the thirteen year old girl said without hesitation, not taking her eyes off of the item in her hands.

'What?!' Rin mentally exclaimed.

"Excuse me." Haru said as she stood up and ran up the stairs to her room.

"What was that just now?" the redheaded boy asked.

"That was another side to Haru." Makoto told him.

"Alright, come with me." Kokoro said to the boys. "You're about to see something interesting.

* * *

"I wonder what I should name you." Haru said as she sat on the bed in her room and stared at the stuff bear in her hands with adoring eyes, despite the fact her face was expressionless. A thought came into her mind. "I know. Your fur is the color of a blueberry, so I'll call you Berry."

Outside the ravenette's room, three certain boys and a six year old girl were trying to hold in their laughter as they watched and listened in on the young girl by the door, which was cracked open a little bit.

"To think Haru had this side to her." Rin remarked, holding a hand to his mouth so he wouldn't laugh out loud.

"Isn't she cute?" Makoto asked.

"If she's ever angry at you, giving her a cute stuff animal will do the trick." Nagisa said.

"Onee-chan will forgive you for most things." Kokoro stated.

Suddenly, the door was slid wide open. The group of four yelped in surprise when they saw Haru standing in the doorway.

"Listen..." she started to say, turning her gaze to Rin. "If you ever tell anyone else about this, you're going to wish you were never born." she threatened, face void of any emotion.

"I swear, I won't tell a soul!" the redheaded boy promised, completely terrified of the young girl.

* * *

 _Four years later_

"Onee-chan, I have something for you." Kokoro said to her older cousin, her hands behind her back.

"What is it?" Haru asked as she climbed out of the pool and walked over to the little girl.

"Look!" the ten year old pulled her hands from behind her back and held out a small, stuffed bear with mango-colored fur.

The ravenette visibly stiffened the second she saw the stuffed animal, her eyes obtaining an adoring look.

"Here you go." Kokoro said as she put the little bear in her cousin's hands.

"Kokoro..." Haru spoke up, her eyes not leaving the stuff animal's. "You'll be having a lot of mackerel for dinner tonight."

"Hooray!" the violet haired girl cheered, giving a short jump into the air.

"Excuse me for a moment." the young woman said as she walked towards the changing room.

"What was that all about?" Rei asked.

"Haru-senpai was acting strange." Gou remarked.

"If you want to see something interesting, follow me." Kokoro said.

"Eh?"

* * *

"I think I'll name you Mango." Haru said to the stuffed bear in her hands as she stared at it with an adoring look, even though her face was expressionless. "Your fur reminds me of the fruit."

"Haruka-senapi..." Rei started to say as the rest of the swim club watched the ravenette from the crack in the door to the changing room. "Likes cute stuffed animals?"

"That's so adorable." Gou declared, giggling.

"You've just witness another side of Haru-chan." Nagisa said.

"Be sure to keep this a secret." Makoto remarked. "Haru wouldn't like it if a lot of people knew about this."

"Is you tell anyone, you _will_ regret it."

Everyone yelped and jumped back when they heard the sound of the female swimmer, who was standing in the doorway, her now dark gaze trained on Gou and Rei.

"We'll take this secret to our graves!" the first years exclaimed, completely scared of the young woman.

 **FIN**

* * *

 **Done. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Please let me know what you thought about it in your reviews. Until next chapter.**


	5. Trial in Open Water!

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

Chapter Five: Trail in Open Water!

* * *

At the Iwatobi High School swimming pool.

Inside the changing room, the swim club, including Kokoro, all stood and stared at Gou, who was kneeling on the ground, wearing a hakama, with a stack of papers and and a ink pad and brush in front of her. She grabbed the brush and dipped it in the ink. Then she started to write on the paper. Once she was done, the words written on the paper read, '48 Days Until the Prefectural Tournament!'.

"Gou-chan, you're still doing those?" Nagisa asked.

"Can you stop that?" Rei also asked.

"Pressure is what pushes people to the next level." the redheaded girl remarked.

"Pressure can also ruin a person." Haru commented in monotone.

"Are you talking about Rei-onii-chan?" Kokoro asked.

"I'm not that weak!" the blue haired young man exclaimed.

"Wait, why are you wearing a hakama?" Makoto asked Gou.

"Stop talking and start practicing!" the first year girl shouted. "Get going!"

The four swimmers and ten year old girl all ran out of the room and headed for the pool.

"Honestly..." Gou sighed.

Suddenly, a breeze blew into the room, causing all of the stacks of paper to go flying.

"Man!" the redheaded manager groaned when she saw the mess that was made by the wind. "This is such a pain." she said to herself as she started to collect the papers.

Then Gou noticed a brownish colored paper under some of the white ones. "What's this?" she asked as she picked up the paper. She looked at it and gasped at what she saw. "This is..."

* * *

Meanwhile

"Our new tracksuits arrived!" Nagisa announced, wearing a yellow shirt with a white and light blue jacket over it.

"The jackets are nice, but what is this thing on the T-shirt?" Rei asked as he lifted the back of the jacket and looked at the design on the back of the shirt.

The design was of the school's mascot sitting down with the head laying besides it. The words 'Iwatobi Swim Club' written above the design.

"That's the secret Iwatobi-chan version." the blonde first year replied. "Since you were against putting Iwatobi-chan on our tracksuits."

"What, so there's a secret version?" the blue haired young man questioned.

"How does mine look on me?" Kokoro asked, now wearing the club's shirt and jacket, which were both a bit too big for her. The shirt was hanging above her knees while the jacket's sleeves covered her hands.

"Koko-chan looks very cute." Nagisa complimented. "It's too bad we couldn't get one that fits you better."

"It's okay." the violet haired girl told the older boy. "I can just grow into it."

"Well, let's get started." Makoto spoke up. "Before we begin practice, let's review the events we'll be entering at prefecturals. I'll be swimming the 100 m and 200 m backstroke. What are you doing, Nagisa?"

"I'm swimming breast." the short blonde answered. "I'm thinking both the 100 and 200."

"And Haru?" the olive green haired teen turned to his childhood friend.

"I only swim free." Haru replied simply.

"Shouldn't have bothered to ask." Makoto said. "Rei?"

"I can only swim butterfly." the blue haired young man told the captain.

"That's right!" Nagisa said.

"And I'll cheer you guys on during the tournament." Kokoro said, pumping her fist in the air.

"We'll be looking forward to it, Kokoro-chan." Makoto stated, smiling at the little girl. "Anyway, it's been a while since we've competed, so stamina will be an issue. I recommend sticking to short distances."

"So we have our lineup for individual events." Nagisa remarked.

"That leaves the relay." the olive green haired young man said.

Haru slightly tensed a little bit upon hearing this.

"I guess we can wait to make that decision." Makoto stated, noticing the way the young woman tensed.

'Onee-chan...' Kokoro thought, looking up at her cousin.

"Keep that in mind while we're practic-"

"You won't believe this!" Gou's voice cut off Makoto. "I found something amazing!" she declared as she run over to the others. She held up the piece of paper she found.

"Iwatobi High School Swim Club Summer Training Camp from Hell on a Deserted Island..." the olive green haired young man read from the paper. "Hell?"

"Deserted island?" Haru questioned in monotone.

"Sounds fun!" Kokoro and Nagisa exclaimed in unison, excitement shining in their eyes.

"This took place several decades ago when Iwatobi still had a swim club!" Gou explained.

"So what's your point?" Rei asked, not getting the point.

"We should steal their training regimen and hold a summer camp on a deserted island!" the redheaded girl replied. She then pointed her index finger outwards. "To prepare for prefecturals!"

"Too much effort." Haru said in her usual monotone voice, sitting down on the side of the pool with her face blank like always, dipping her hand in the water.

"This is no time for complaining!" the first year girl pointed her finger at the older girl. "Look at the training regimen they used!" she unfolded the paper and showed it to the others. "They swam long distances in the ocean. From one deserted island to the next. Don't you think this training is perfect for building stamina?"

"The ocean..." Makoto mumbled under his breath.

"Yep, the ocean!" Gou said, not catching the tone the older boy used.

However, both Haru and Kokoro taught it.

"We should participate in the same training regimen that our storied swim club used!" the redheaded girl said excitedly.

"Our swim club was storied?" Nagisa questioned, tilting his head to the side.

"Yep, look what I found." Gou said as she pulled out another piece of paper.

"Sixth place in the Iwatobi Junior Tournament." Rei read from the paper.

"Weak." Kokoro remarked.

"Anyway! Right now, the Iwatobi Swim Club needs stamina. And summer is the perfect time to hold a training camp!" Gou said excitedly. "In the ocean! On deserted islands!"

"Wait, I don't see how deserted islands are relevant here." Rei remarked.

"But it's more exciting when you add deserted islands." Nagisa said.

"I know, right?" Gou agreed. "So let's hold a training camp!" she turned to Makoto. "Your decision, captain?"

"Huh?" was the olive green haired young man response. "Oh... I guess it's good idea to hold a training camp to prepare for prefecturals ." he said, smiling.

"Hurray!" the blonde first year cheered. "It's settled, then!"

"Yippe!" the redheaded first year joined in, cheering as well.

* * *

Later, in the faculty office

"The club doesn't have enough for that." Ms. Amakata said after listening to the swim club's plan.

"Then we could ask our generous advisor to pay for it!" Nagisa suggested.

"I'm not that generous!" the lady teacher shot back. "Besides, people only get that lucky in TV shows and manga. The Irish playwright, George Bernard Shaw, said it best." she looked at everyone. "'The book that has had the most influence in my life is my checkbook'."

"That can't be right." Kokoro remarked.

* * *

Later that evening

"But I really want to go to a deserted island with everyone." Nagisa thought aloud as the club walked home with popsicles in their hands. "If the school won't pay for it, we can try to pass for it ourselves."

"I can't afford it." Rei said. "We had to pay for the track suits ourselves, and I bought a non-speedo swimsuit."

"I also bought a swimsuit." Haru stated in monotone.

"Me too." Kokoro said.

"Same here." Nagisa said.

"Rei-kun needed a swimsuit, but the rest of you didn't need to buy one." Gou remarked. "Especially Haru-senpai. All of your swimsuits look the same."

"They fit differently." the ravenette retorted.

"We can all find part-time jobs." Nagisa suggested.

"It's too late for that." Rei said.

"Unfortunately, it looks like this plan is a bust." Gou said sadly.

"Wait." Makoto spoke up.

Everyone stopped walking and looked at the swim captain.

"I'll think of something. There should be a way to hold a camp without needing money." the olive green haired young man told them.

"Mako-chan's getting serious!" Nagisa exclaimed.

"We can count on our captain!" Gou cheered.

Out of the corners of their eyes, both Haru and Kokoro stared at the swim captain.

* * *

Later, at the Tachibana residents

"Whatcha doing, Onii-chan?" Ran asked her old brother as he dragged a large sack out of a closet, grabbing his arm.

"Are you going camping?" Ren asked as he jumped onto Makoto's back and wrapped his arms around his neck. "I wanna come!"

"I've got a training with Haru and everyone else." the olive green haired young man told his siblings. "Maybe some other time."

"What? That's not fair!" the twins complained in unison.

"His idea is to literally camp outside?" Gou questioned, standing outside the house with the rest of the swim club. "And what do we do about the boat fare to the island?"

"Are we going to hitchhike?" Nagisa asked.

"There aren't any cars or trucks in the ocean." Kokoro retorted.

"What's this?" Rei questioned when he saw a small stone sticking out of it with a glass jar, filled with water, sitting in front of it, a single blue flower sitting in the jar.

"A grave for a goldfish." Haru answered in monotone. "It was Makoto's pet."

"Oh, yeah. He had a pet goldfish in grade school." Nagisa said. "So this is still here."

"Pay your respects." Kokoro said as she knelt in front of the small grave, closed her eyes, clasped her hands together, and started to pray.

The two first year soon did what the little girl was doing.

* * *

Later, at the Nanase residents

"This is some serious equipment." Gou remarked as she looked at all of the camping equipment that was laid out on the living room floor.

"Our family always goes camping during the summer." Makoto explained.

"Who gave you permission to use my place for storage?" Haru asked, slight annoyance in her voice and on her face.

"But there's so much room here." Nagisa told her.

"The polite thing to do would have been to ask first." Kokoro remarked.

"Are these all deserted islands?" the blonde first year questioned, looking at the old booklet that swim club's manager had found. "We could camp on a deserted island!"

"That's a bad idea." Rei said as he snatched the booklet from the other first year.

"Let's have a barbeque on a deserted island!" Nagisa shouted enthusiastically, pumping both his fist in the air.

"Barbeque!" Gou yelled just as enthusiastically, pumping one fist in the air.

"Barbeque!" Kokoro cheered excitedly, throwing both of her fists in the air as her two strands of hair twitched in excitement.

"Can you drop the deserted island business?" Rei asked.

"Now we just need money for transportation." Makoto said.

Everyone, except Haru, started to think.

"Do you think Ama-chan-sensei has a boat?" Nagisa questioned.

"I seriously doubt it." Rei remarked, doubt clearly written on his face.

Then an idea came to Makoto. "I know someone who does!"

* * *

Later

"Yes, I have a squid fishing boat left by my grandfather." Sasabe said, rubbing the back of his neck, after hearing the plan from the swim club. "And I have a boating license. However... You buy me one pizza and expect me to do you a favor like that?" he asked.

"Please help of out!" Makoto begged, bowing his head and clasping his hands together.

"We'll also give you this!" Nagisa exclaimed, holding a small wooden figurine of the Iwatobi High School mascot in his hands.

"I don't want that!" the old swim coach yelled.

"Please help us, Coach Sasabe." Kokoro pleading, looking at the older man with wide puppy-dog eyes as her two strands of hair seemed to drop down, her bottom lip quivering.

Sasabe flinched from her look. "It should be illegal for someone to look that cute..." he mumbled. Then he sighed. "Oh, fine." he said. "I can't participate in your camp, but I can take you there and back."

"Really?!" the blonde first year shouted, slamming his hands on the table.

"Yeah."

"Yay!" Kokoro cheered.

"No one can say no to Koko-chan's cuteness." Nagisa commented.

"I could use a little cruise." Sasabe remarked.

"A cruise in a squid fishing boat?" Rei questioned to himself.

"Thank you so much!" Makoto said appreciatively.

"Sure." the old swim coach said.

"You can have this!" Gou said, holding the same wooden figurine of the school's mascot out to him.

"I told you, I don't want it!"

* * *

Later that evening, at Iwatobi Train Station

"Bye, bye!" Kokoro called out to the three first years as she, Haru, and Makoto waved good-bye to them as they boarded their trains.

"Bye!" Nagisa called out, waving.

"See you tomorrow." Gou said.

"Yeah." Makoto replied.

The two second years and ten year old girl stopped waving as they watched their teammate's trains deport from the station.

"Let's go." Haru said in monotone as she turned around and began to walk away.

"Okay." Makoto and Kokoro said in unison as they followed the ravenette.

* * *

Sometime later

"Looks like this camp is going to work out." Makoto remarked as he and the two cousins walked home, walking pass the ocean. "We just need permission from Ama-chan-sensei now."

"Yeah." Haru said in monotone.

"A training camp with everyone, huh?" the olive green haired young man thought aloud. "I'm looking forward to it. Oh. Rei's a beginner, so we need to watch out for him. Is he going to be able to handle this? I'm not much of a long distance swimmer myself."

Then the two cousins stopped walking. Makoto noticed this and stopped, as well.

"What's wrong?" he asked as he turned the girls.

"Are you really okay with this?" Haru asked.

"Are you positive you want to do this?" Kokoro asked, worry filling up in her eyes.

"Eh?" Makoto started at the cousins, confused.

"The ocean." the ravenette said.

The olive green haired young man's eyes widened as memories filled up in his mind. He snapped out of it and smiled.

"I'll be fine." he reassured the girls. "I was a long time ago."

"Mako-onii-chan..." was all Kokoro said.

Haru sighed a little, grabbed her cousin's hand, and walked past her childhood friend, heading home.

* * *

Very early the next morning

After saying good-bye to his family, Makoto stepped out of his house and saw Haru and a slightly sleepy Kokoro sitting on the steps that led up to their house, the ravenette petting the white kitten that was sleeping next to her.

"Morning, Haru, Kokoro-chan." the olive green haired young man greeted.

"Good morning, Mako-onii-chan..." the ten year old greeted back, yawning a little.

* * *

Later, at the harbor

"Haru-chan! Mako-chan! Koko-chan! Over here!" Nagisa called when he saw the childhood friends and little girl.

"Good morning." Gou greeted.

"Morning, everyone." Kokoro greeted back, still a bit tried.

"Kokoro-chan, are you sure you want to come?" the redheaded girl asked. "You still look tried."

"Wherever Onee-chan goes, I go." the violet haired retorted as she wrapped her arms around one of her cousin's legs and nuzzled her face into her waist.

"Is everyone here?" Sasabe asked.

"We're still missing Amakata-sensei." Rei informed.

Suddenly, a car sped by the group and came to a stop.

"Sorry to keep you all waiting." Ms. Amakata apologized as she stepped out of her car. "You must to Sasabe-san." she said as she looked at the old swim coach. "Thank you for your help." she held out a cloth wrapped box to him. "Please take this. It's just a token, but..."

"Oh, thank you." Sasabe said as he took the box.

"Is something wrong?" the lady teacher asked when she noticed him staring at her.

"Oh, uh... Have we met before?" Sasabe asked.

"No, we haven't!" Ms. Amakata replied rather quickly as she turned her head away. "This is the first time I've met you."

"Is he trying to hit on her?" Gou asked herself.

"She's way out of his league." Kokoro commented.

"Okay, let's set sail!" Sasabe said loudly as he raised the boat's flag. "I'll fly our flag with a prayer for your training camp's success!"

Soon, the boat started to move forward.

"Off to the deserted island!" Nagisa exclaimed.

"Full steam ahead!" Gou yelled.

"Adventure!" Kokoro cried excitedly.

"We're not going to a deserted island!" Rei told them.

"Now, now. Don't be so picky!" the blonde first year said.

"I'm not being picky!"

* * *

Later that afternoon

"This place is gorgeous!" Ms. Amakata declared once the group at their destination. "I'm so glad I came."

"Absolutely!" Gou agreed.

"Are you alright, Rei?" Makoto asked the first year, who was squatting on the ground with a blue face.

"I'm fine..." Rei told him as he stood up. "I need to go to the restroom." he said before he started to walk off to find the restroom area.

"And here's a gift from me." Sasabe as he handed a cooler to Nagisa. He got back in his boat. Good luck! I'll be back to pick you up on your last day!" he informed as he started up the boat and moving it away from the pier.

"Thank you very much!" everyone, except Haru, said as the waved and watched the old swim coach leave on the boat.

"Is Rei-chan okay?" Nagisa asked.

"It seems there's a sports facility over there." Ms. Amakata said. "It has a 50 meter pool. We could swim there..."

"We don't have the money to go there." Makoto told his teacher.

"I'll go look for a good camping site." the brown haired woman said as she started towards the beach.

"So what was his gift?" Gou asked herself as she opened the cooler Sasabe left for them. "Pizza?" she said when she saw the contents of the cooler. Then she turned to the cooler beside it "And this is..." she opened it.

"Mackerel." Haru and Kokoro said in unison.

"You both like mackerel way too much." the redheaded first year told them.

"That's impossible." the cousins retorted with surprisingly seriously faces.

"Hey!"

Everyone turned their heads and saw Rei.

"Come over here!" the blue haired young man said.

* * *

Later

"Why is Samezuka's swim team here?" Makoto asked as the everyone looked through a large window and watched their rival swim team down below.

"Oh, Onii-chan's here." Kokoro stated when she spotted the redheaded swimmer.

"Did you do something again, Gou-chan?" Makoto asked their manager.

"Huh? I didn't do anything this time." Gou told them as she held up her hands.

"Really?" Nagisa asked.

"I mean, it's obvious that my Onii-chan won't listen to anything I say. Plus..." she trailed off as she remembered that day between her older brother and the ravenette vice-captain.

"Plus?" the blonde first year questioned.

"No, it's nothing." Gou said.

"So it's just a coincidence." Nagisa remarked. "We should all go say hello then."

"Don't." Haru spoke up.

"Eh? Why not?"

"I promised him that we would meet at prefecturals." the tall young woman informed.

"What? Really?" Nagisa asked in surprise.

'When did that happen?' Makoto asked himself mentally.

* * *

Meanwhile

Rin turned his eyes up to the windows that loomed over the building's swimming pool.

"What is it, Senpai?" Ai asked.

"Oh, I thought I smelled something." the redheaded young man replied.

"Smelled something?" the first year repeated.

"Smelled like mackerel."

"Oh, Matsuoka! You've got a sharp nose!" Seijirou complimented as he appeared behind the underclass men. "We're having mackerel curry for lunch! Now practice hard!"

* * *

Meanwhile, at the beach

"I wanna swim in the 50 meter pool." Nagisa said as he and the rest of the swim club set up their tents.

"I guess powerhouse schools do get special treatment." Ms. Amakata remarked.

"They're clearly in a different class." Rei commented.

"Doesn't matter." Haru said in monotone.

"Haru's right." Makoto agreed. "Our goal for this training camp is to build stamina."

"Right! We still have our deserted islands!" Kokoro said excitedly.

"Are you comparing 50 meter pools to deserted islands?" Rei asked incredulously.

"Aren't they similar?" Nagisa asked.

"How are they similar?!"

"Okay, then." Ms. Amakata spoke up. "Let's go checked in at the lodge." she said to Gou.

"Yes." the redheaded young girl agreed.

"Lodge?" he boys and ten year old girl repeated in unison.

"What do you mean?" Rei asked.

"We booked lodging for yourselves." the lady teacher told them. "Over there." she pointed at the top of a nearby hill.

"What?!"

"You can't expect a couple of girl to sleep outside." Ms. Amakata said. "Right, Gou-chan?"

"Right?" Gou repeated, smiling.

"Class difference again..." Rei whispered to Nagisa.

"We're at the bottom 1%?" the short blonde questioned.

"Nanase-chan, I booked a room for you and Kokoro-chan." Ms. Amakata informed the cousins.

"We're fine here." Haru and Kokoro told the lady teacher in unison.

"But you two shouldn't have to stay out here with the rest of the guys." Gou said.

"Onee-chan and I will be sharing a tent while the boys sleep in the other tent." the violet haired little girl retorted. "We'll be fine."

"Are you both sure?" Ms. Amakata asked, concern lacing her voice.

"Yes." Haru replied in monotone.

"Alright," the brown haired teacher sighed. Then she turned to the boys. "There better be no funny business while you are all under my care, misters." she told them very seriously as a dark aura surrounded her.

"Y-Yes, ma'am!" boys exclaimed in unison as they gulped from their teacher's scariness.

"Nanase-chan, the offer is there for the rest of the training camp if you and Kokoro-chan change your minds." Ms. Amakata informed the cousins before she and Gou make their way to the lodge.

* * *

Later

"If you look at the map, you'll see that there are a number of smaller islands in the area." Makoto informed the rest of the team and Kokoro, all of them in their swimsuits.

"Deserted islands!" Nagisa said excitedly.

"What is it with you and deserted islands?" Rei asked.

"We'll be swimming between Sukishima, Oshima, and Mizushima for our training." Makoto said. The distance between each island is about one kilometer. We're looking at four kilometers of swimming and one kilometer of running each circuit. Our goal is to complete three circuits on the first day." he explained.

"That sounds hard." Kokoro commented. "Can you handle that, Rei-onii-chan?" she asked the older boy.

"Rei's a beginner, so we have a different regimen for him." the olive green haired captain said.

"No, I'll do what everyone else is doing." Rei remarked. "I studied up on the concepts of long distance swimming."

"You may know the concepts perfectly, but the ocean is a dangerous place." Makoto told him. "If you want to do the same regimen, you should use a kickboard or inflatables." he gestured towards Haru, who was holding said swimming equipment.

"Take your pick." the ravenette said in monotone.

"It's not beautiful!" Rei exclaimed.

"Just go with a kickboard." Makoto said. "With that..."

"Let's start training!" Nagisa yelled as he raced towards the water.

"Ah, hold on!" the blue haired first year shouted as he followed the shorter boy, a kickboard in his hand. "We're supposed to start at the same time, Nagisa-kun!"

Out of the corner of their eyes, Haru and Kokoro saw that Makoto looking out towards the ocean. After he stared at the ocean for a moment longer, the olive green haired young man turned to the cousins and smiled.

"Don't worry. I'll be fine." he reassured them. "Let's get going."

"Yeah..." Haru and Kokoro both said softly as they watched the team's captain make his way towards the water.

They both sighed and began following the rest of the team.

* * *

After hours of swimming and running, it became evening time

"I didn't realize long distance swimming was so taxing." Rei remarked as he and Nagisa both panted heavily.

"You did well for a first-timer. Good work." Makoto complimented. "Kokoro-chan is also doing really well, despite being so young."

"It's really tiring, I admit." the ten year old girl confessed. "But I'm having a lot of fun with everyone. And this will probably prepare me for the future."

"It really feels like we're training." the blonde first year commented. "We'll be a lot stronger when this camp is over! If we win prefecturals and we do well at regionals we'll be heading to nationals!"

"Yep. It's sounds like a dream, but I want to see how far we can go." the olive green haired young man said.

"If we place, we'll get a bigger budget! Then we'll be able to swim indoor pools during winter!" Nagisa remarked.

"I hope so." Haru said in monotone.

"We'll get to swim all the time!" Kokoro exclaimed excitedly.

* * *

Later

"Good work!" Gou complimented the team when they came back to the campsite.

"Thank you." Makoto said as he took the towel their manger handed to him.

"Was the training regimen from hell too hard after all?" the redheaded girl asked. "You guys only completed half of it."

"Well, it's only the first day." the captain told her.

"I-I'll do better tomorrow!" Rei spoke up.

"You'll do fine, Rei-chan." Nagisa said.

"I'll catch up in no time!" the blue haired first year declared.

"That's the spirit." Kokoro said.

"Hey! That's enough performance reviews for now." Ms. Amakata called. "Let's eat before it gets dark."

"I'm starving!" Nagisa remarked.

"Me too!" Kokoro said.

"Oh no. I forgot to bring the seasoning." the lady teacher said as she looked through the grocery bags she had.

"I'll go borrow some from the lodge." Gou told everyone.

"Thank you very much!" Ms. Amakata said appreciatively.

* * *

As the redheaded first year ran towards the lodge she, she came to an abrupt stop when she nearly ran into someone who was coming out of a convenience store.

"I'm sorry." Gou quickly apologized.

"Oh, you're Matsuoka-senpai's..." Ai started to say when he saw who had nearly ran into him.

"What's wrong?" Rin asked as he stepped outside.

"Onii-chan." Gou said when she saw her older brother.

"Gou?" the redheaded swimmer said. He tsked. "Nitori, you head back first." he said to Ai.

* * *

Later, at a park

"It's not what you're thinking." Gou said as she sat next to her brother on a park bench.

"It's not?" Rin questioned, doubt on his voice and face. "Haru and the rest of them are here, right?"

"They are." the redheaded girl answered. "Even Kokoro-chan came along. But it's purely coincidence. We happen to be here for a training camp."

"Training camp?" the young man repeated. "We're using the pool. Where are they swimming?"

"The ocean."

Rin's expression changed to a look of surprise. "Makoto's okay with that?" he asked.

"Huh?" Gou looked up at her brother in confusion.

"Forget it. Never mind." the male swimmer said. "Are they completing their regimen?" he asked.

"Well, they only finished half of it today." the redheaded girl answered.

"What about Kokoro?"

"Kokoro-chan is doing it with them. She did very well despite the fact she's only ten." Gou said. Then she laughed a little and smiled.

"What?" Rin questioned.

"Nothing. Sounds like you're still worried about them."

"I'm not." the redheaded young man denied.

"But you promised to meet them at prefecturals." the first year girl pointed out.

"I didn't do it to see them. I'm going to beat Haru. That's all I care about." Rin told her as he stood up.

'Onii-chan is such a tsundere.' Gou thought to herself.

"Gou, where are you staying?" the voice of her older brother brought the young girl out of her thoughts.

"Oh, the lodge over there." the redheaded girl answered.

"I'll walk you back." Rin said before he started to walk ahead.

Gou smiled widely before she got up from the bench and followed him.

"What's that smile for?"

"No reason."

* * *

Back at the campsite

"Mackerel and hokke!" Nagisa said as he held out his plate.

"Mackerel and pineapple!" Haru said, doing the same thing.

"Mackerel and banana!" Kokoro said, also holding out her plate.

"Pineapple's the one topping I'll never put on pizza." Ms. Amakata remarked.

"And why banana?" Gou asked.

"Banana has potassium, which is good for you." the violet haired girl informed.

"What's wrong?" Nagisa asked Rei.

"Oh, it's nothing." the blue haired young man told the other first year.

"Really?" the short blonde asked before joining the others.

"Rei, you don't have to worry about not finishing the regimen." Makoto reassured him. "Just take it slow. I'm just glad we're able to practice and camp here together. It's important to improve our time, but what makes me the happiest is that we can all swim together."

"Yes."

* * *

Later that night

Inside the cousin's tent, Kokoro was sleeping peacefully next to Haru, her head laying on her chest while the ravenette had her arm around her. Inside the boy's tent, all one of them were asleep.

'I have to work harder.' Rei thought as he swim in the ocean using a kickboard. He looked up at saw all of the stars shining brightly in the sky. "Beautiful..." he said to himself, smiling. "Okay, I think I'm getting the hang of this."

However, just about a few moments later, a strong wind started to blow and the ocean's waves started to get rougher. Not only that, but rain soon came down in buckets.

"Shoot!" the blue haired young man exclaimed when his kickboard slipped out of his hand.

* * *

Back on the bench

"Huh? Rei?" Makoto said as he woke up and didn't see the first year in his sleeping bag. His glasses were there, though. Getting up, the olive green haired young man walked out of the tent. "It's raining hard." he stated the obvious before he turned around to go back in the tent.

Then a flash of lighting exploded throughout the sky. Makoto froze when he saw a certain blue haired swimmer in the rough waves of the ocean.

"Rei!" the swim captain yelled as he threw off his shirt and raced towards the ocean.

 _To be continued..._

* * *

 **Omake Three:**

At a karaoke bar

"Why are we here again?" Haru asked in monotone as she and the rest of the swim team sat in a room they reserved.

"Nagisa-onii-chan invited us." Kokoro answered, watching the blonde first year sing a song with Rei. "And I'm glad we came, I'm having some much fun!"

"Haru-senpai, are you going to sing, too?" Gou asked.

"No, it would be too much effort." the ravenette replied coolly.

"Don't be like that, Haru-chan!" Nagisa said, finishing his singing with the other first year. "You're the only one of us who hasn't sang."

"I don't want to."

"Don't be so stubborn, Haru." Makoto remarked.

"I refuse." Haru replied.

"Please, Onee-chan!" Kokoro begged, looking up at her older cousin with wide puppy dog eyes. "I really want to hear you sing!"

The female stared down at the violet haired little girl for a moment. Then she sighed. "Just one song. And it'll be short." she finally said.

"Hooray!" Kokoro, Nagisa, and Gou all cheered.

"Not even Haruka-senpai can say no to Kokoro-chan's cuteness, huh?" Rei asked himself.

"I already picked out a song for you." the ten year old girl told the ravenette.

"Don't do something like that without my permission." Haru said to her cousin.

"Just get up there and sing!" Gou exclaimed as she pushed the taller girl towards the small stage in the room.

'Such a pain in the ass.' Haru thought to herself.

"All you have to do is sing the words on the scene." Makoto told his childhood friend.

"I know that." the ravenette retorted, slight annoyance on her face.

"Do you're best, Onee-chan!" Kokoro cheered just as the music started to play.

Haru grabbed the microphone, looked at the words on the small scene, and inhaled a little bit.

 **"Katachi dake no doujou**

 **dondake kasanetatte**

 **karada wa shoujiki sa**

 **tarinai mitasarenai"**

The entire swim team just stayed where they were and stared at the young woman, amazed at how beautiful her voice was has she sang.

 **"Aitsu to shita yakusoku ili demo mamoritai**

 **kutsuhi mo kyutto kataku musunde**

 **inochi sae mo oshikunai, to ieru**

 **negai ga omae ni wa aru no kai?**

 **Oh, set me free**

 **gisei mo itami mo doutte koto nai**

 **Set me free**

 **usotsuki yasashisa sore mo owari**

 **kitai sareru koto ga seou koto ga**

 **tsuyosa ni kawatte iku yo**

 **ikiru imi wa owaru imi wa**

 **atashi no naka ni aru to shitte iru kara**

 **Please, set me free**

 **doutte koto nai sympathy"**

After finishing the song, Haru sighed and put the microphone back in place. She soon noticed that all of her friends and cousin were staring at her with wide eyes.

"Was I that bad?" the ravenette asked.

"No!" Gou answered without hesitation. "You were amazing, Haru-senpai."

"Onee-chan was super cool!" Kokoro declared, her two strands of hair twitching.

"Haru-chan could be a professional singer if she wanted." Nagisa remarked.

"That sounds like too much effort." Haru said.

* * *

The next day, at Samezuka Academy

"Why the hell are you here again?" Rin asked as he scowled down at the ten year old girl standing in front of him.

"Nice to see you again, too." Kokoro said, sarcasm obviously in her voice. "I came by because I wanted to show you something." she told.

"What is it?"

"Yesterday, the swim team and I went to karaoke. It was a lot of fun. You should have heard the song Nagisa-onii-chan and Rei-onii-chan were singing together." the violet haired girl giggled.

"Get to the point already." Rin told her, feeling his patience wearing thin. "I have better things to do than listen to you beat around the bush."

"Such impatience." Kokoro remarked, crossing her arms. "I guess that's to be expected of a tsundere."

"Stop calling me that already, dammit!" said tsundere yelled, glaring at the younger girl.

"Anyway..." the ten year old girl said, ignoring his glare, as she pulled out her phone. "I have a recording of Onee-chan singing. I thought you might like to hear it."

"Haru? Singing?" Rin questioned, doubt in his voice and on his face. "Don't tell me she sung in monotone." he said as he knelt down in front of the much shorter girl.

"Just listen." Kokoro told him as she played the recording.

Once the recording was over, the redheaded swimmer's eyes were wide in disbelief.

"Was that really Haru?" Rin asked.

"Yep." Kokoro replied. "Doesn't she sound awesome?"

"I-I guess she sounds okay..." the young man remarked.

"You come with us next. Maybe you and Onee-chan can sing a duet together."

Rin's face turned slightly red from her statement.

"Onii-chan, is your dere dere side showing?" Kokoro asked, immediately noticing the blush on his face.

"Shut up! Don't make me hit you!" the redheaded young man threatened, glaring at the ten year old.

"Oh, your tsun tsun side has come back." the violet haired little girl remarked.

"You little..." Rin growled through his shark-like teeth.

"Well, would you look at the time?" Kokoro said as she looked at the time on her phone. "I need to get home. Bye, bye, Onii-chan." she said before she turned around and started to sprint to the academy's gates.

"You better run!" the male swimmer called out as he stood up. "And stop coming here so much."

When she was at the gates, Kokoro came to a stop and turned around to face the older boy. "I can do whatever I want, and you can't do anything about it!" she shouted. Then she turned around and ran away.

"Wait until I get my hands on you, you damn brat!" Rin yelled.

* * *

Later

"Onii-chan can be really scary sometimes." Kokoro sighed as she waited for the train that would take her home. "But, then again, he is a tsundere, so..."

Out of the corner of her eye, the ten year old saw a pair of birds flying in the sky.

'Those birds look happy.' Kokoro thought to herself. 'It's probably because they're free and can do whatever they want in the sky.' then she smiled as she remembered the night she heard her cousin sing. 'I think that song suited, Onee-chan. One day, I know you and Onii-chan will be set free. Hopefully, I will be, too.'

With the same smile still on her face, the ten year old girl boarded the train, which had arrived a moment ago. She took a seat and watched the passing scenery as the train started to move, taking her home to her beloved cousin.

 **FIN**

* * *

 **Done with the chapter. I hope you enjoyed it. Please let me know what you thought about it in your reviews. I'll start working on the next chapter soon. Until next time!**


	6. Shocking No Breathing!

**I hope you enjoy the chapter. Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

Chapter Six: Shocking No Breathing!

* * *

"Rei!"

Upon hearing the loud, masculine voice, Haru opened her eyes. Letting out a small groan, she sat up.

"Onee-chan?" Kokoro questioned as she woke up as well, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Did you hear that?" the ravenette asked.

"Hear what?

"That voice."

"Huh?"

Not saying anything more, Haru stood up and walked out of the tent, the ten year girl quickly following her.

"Makoto?" the young woman called as she went over to the boy's tent, ignoring the rain that was falling hard on her.

"Haru-chan?" Nagisa's voice responded as the short blonde came outside. "Both Mako-chan and Rei-chan aren't here."

"It's still warm." Haru observed as she felt one of the blankets.

"Maybe they had to use the restroom." Kokoro suggested.

Not making a reply, the ravenette turned towards the ocean.

"What is it?" Nagisa asked.

Haru strained her eyes to look further out towards the large vast of water. Then she gasped as her eyes widened in shock. Out in the raging waters of the ocean, were Makoto and Rei. The first year struggling to keep his head above the waves while the second year was swimming towards him.

"Is that..." Nagisa trailed off.

"Onee-chan?!" Kokoro exclaimed when she saw her older cousin race towards the ocean.

"Contact Amakata-sensei!" Haru yelled as she flung her clothes off, her swimsuit underneath them.

"Hold on, Haru-chan! It's not safe to go alone!" Nagisa shouted as he followed the older girl, taking off his clothes, too.

"Wait for me!" Kokoro called as she, too, quickly took off her clothes, her swimsuit underneath her clothes, and sprint after the other swimmers.

Soon, the trio was in the ocean, fighting against the violent waves to get to their two teammates.

"Makoto!" Haru exclaimed when she reached her childhood friend, wrapping her arm around him.

"We'll get Rei-chan!" Nagisa announced as he and Kokoro swam towards the blue haired young man.

"We're coming, Rei-onii-chan!" the violet haired girl called out.

Then she came to an abrupt stop when she looked out of the corner of her eye and saw a huge wave coming towards her and the others.

"No way." Kokoro said to herself before the wave crashed on top of everyone.

* * *

Haru panted heavily as she dragged an unconscious Makoto onto the beach of one of the deserted islands. When they were a few ways away from the ocean, the young woman fell to her knees. She then turned her childhood friend onto his back.

"Makoto..." Haru said shaking the young man. "Makoto! Wake up!"

When Makoto didn't even stir, panic started to fill up in the ravenette.

"Someone..." she called out quietly. "Is there anyone here?!" she yelled. "Kokoro! Nagisa! Rei!" when she didn't get any type of response, the young woman held a shaking hand near her mouth.

Then an idea came to here. Leaning down, Haru placed her ear on top of Makoto's chest, right where his heart was.

"It's still beating..." she said to herself as she pulled away. "Is he injured?" she questioned as she looked over his body. "No..." Haru leaned closer again, this time near his mouth. "His breathing is so weak..."

Tilting Makoto's head up a little, Haru opened his mouth wider. Then she leaned forward, her lips only a few centimeters apart from his. She inhaled. Before she placed her lips over his, Makoto started to cough and turned on his side.

"Makoto!" the young woman exclaimed. "Makoto!"

"Haruka..." the young man said softly when he stopped coughing, opening his eyes to look up at his childhood friend.

"Are you alright?" Haru asked.

"Where are we?"

"I'm guessing this is Sukishima. The island facing the tents."

"Where's Rei?" Makoto asked as he sat up.

"You shouldn't be moving around!" Haru said seriously as she grabbed his shoulders. "You need to rest!"

"But Rei's in trouble!" the young man exclaimed.

"Kokoro and Nagisa are taking care of it!" the young woman told him. "You don't need to worry."

"Kokoro-chan and Nagisa?"

* * *

Meanwhile

"Here, Rei-chan." Nagisa said to the other first year, handing him the kickboard he had retrieved from the ocean.

"Thank you very much." Rei said appreciatively, taking the piece of swimming equipment.

"Are you okay?" the short blonde asked in concern.

"Yes." the young haired young man replied. "I'm very sorry about this." he apologized sincerely.

"It's okay." Nagisa told him.

"But it's my fault that everybody's..."

"That stuff can wait. Right now, we should go and look for the other guys. I'm sure that they're fine." the first year said, giving a small smile.

"But..." Rei started to say. "I saw Makoto-senpai coming to help me, but he didn't seem like his usual self.

* * *

Meanwhile

The two childhood friends had sought shelter from the rain by sitting under a large piece of rock that had enough for the both of them.

"Have you calmed down?" Haru asked Makoto.

"Yeah." the young man replied, nodding his head slightly.

The two sat in silence for a moment.

"You're still scared of the ocean, aren't you?" the ravenette questioned, breaking the silence.

"I thought I had gotten over it." Makoto said, a bit more to himself. "But when I saw Rei drowning, I completely froze." he placed his hand over his face. "The memory of that day immediately surfaced. Sorry I dragged you into this."

"It's not your fault." Haru told him in monotone.

"But... I was the one who decided to hold a camp. And I chose to start the swim club. But that was because I wanted to swim with you again. I wanted to swim in a relay with everyone again." Makoto removed his hand from his face and looked at it. "If you're not there..." his hand clenched into a fist. He then looked at his childhood friend. "It's meaningless without you! I want to swim with you!"

"Makoto..." was all Haru said, taken aback from what the young man just said.

The two just stared at one another. Then the olive greed haired swim captain started to lean closer towards her. The young woman blinked when his face was inches from hers.

"Makoto?" she questioned.

"Haru..." Makoto started to say, a light red hue dusting his cheeks. "I... I... I lo-"

"Ah, there they are!"

The duo turned their heads to the source of the voice.

"Haru-chan! Mako-chan!" Nagisa called out, rushing over to them with Rei.

"Rei! Nagisa!" Makoto exclaimed as he and Haru stood up and went over to the two first years, forgetting about the little scene that had just happened between them. "Thank goodness! You're both okay."

"Where's Kokoro?" the ravenette asked, immediately noticing the absence of her younger cousin.

"Kokoro-chan's not with you?" Rei asked.

"We thought she was with you guys." the olive green haired young man said.

"You don't think that she's..." Nagisa trailed off, looking out towards the ocean.

Haru's eyes widened, her breathing coming to an abrupt stop. "No..." she said quietly. She turned to the ocean. "Kokoro!" she called out. "Kokoro!"

"Kokoro-chan!" Makoto and Rei yelled in unison.

"Koko-chan!" Nagisa called.

"Kokoro!" the young woman called out again.

No response came. Haru gasped, panic and worry very visible on her face. She felt her body beginning to fall backwards.

"Haru!" Makoto exclaimed as he quickly caught his childhood friend by her shoulders.

"Kokoro..." the ravenette said softly.

"I've never seen Haru-chan look this scared before." Nagisa commented.

"Haruka-senapi and Kokoro-chan must be closer than I originally thought." Rei remarked.

"Don't worry, Haru." Makoto reassured the young woman. "I'm sure Kokoro-chan is fine, we'll find her."

"If anything happens to her..." Haru trailed off, holding trembling hands to her face.

"Everyone!"

The team's eyes widened at the sound of the very familiar voice. Turning their heads, they all saw a small figure running towards them.

"Everyone!" Kokoro called out, waving her arm. "Thank goodness you're all safe!"

"It's Koko-chan!" Nagisa stated the obvious.

"And she's alright!" Rei said in relief.

"See. What did I tell you?" Makoto told his childhood friend.

Haru ignored him as she shot forward and started to run towards the little girl.

"Kokoro!" she called out.

"Onee-chan!" Kokoro yelled as she started to run faster.

"Kokoro!"

The two cousins soon reached each other and immediately wrapped their arms around one another, sinking to their knees.

"Onee-chan!" the ten year old cried as she hugged the older girl with all of the strength she could muster, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Kokoro, you're freezing." the ravenette remarked as she felt the violet haired girl shiver.

"I was really scared." Kokoro admitted, looking up at her cousin. "I was scared that I would never see you or the others again!"

"Idiot, that's my line." Haru told her.

The two cousins didn't say anything else as they hugged each other once again, too afraid to let the other go.

Makoto smiled as he watched the scene that just happened between the two girls. Then he turned to the blue haired first year. "Rei..." he spoke up. "Sorry I couldn't save you." he apologized.

"Don't say that!" Rei immediately replied. "I'm the one should apologize!" he said as he bowed in front of the swim club's captain.

"It's okay." Makoto told him. "I'm just glad you're unharmed."

"It's not okay." Haru remarked as she came back over to them, carrying Kokoro in her arms with the little girl's arms around her neck. "Why were you swimming in the ocean at night?" she asked Rei.

Before the blue haired young man could answer, Nagisa spoke up.

"You were practicing, right?" the blonde first year questioned. "He wants to catch up with the rest of us."

Haru was slightly surprised by this.

"Yes..." Rei said softly.

"Besides, Rei-chan wasn't the only one at fault." Nagisa continued. "Mako, you should't have tried to save him by yourself! And you just dove into the water without thinking, Haru-chan, Koko-chan!"

"So did you." the two cousins pointed out.

The blonde first year chuckled awkwardly, seeing as he was found out. "Well, at least everyone's okay." he said optimistically.

"I'm happy about that..." Kokoro spoke up. "But, it's kinda cold." she said as she pressed her body closer to Haru.

"I wonder if we can find shelter from the rain somewhere." Makoto remarked.

"Look up there." the violet haired girl said, pointing upward.

Everyone followed the ten year's finger and looked up. What they saw was a yellow beam of light.

* * *

Later

"Rest howse? What's a rest howse?" Nagisa asked after reading the sign that was hanging from the large, old building he and the others were standing outside from.

"It's a rest house." Rei corrected him.

"Let's go inside." Kokoro said, walking towards the building.

"Wait, we're really going inside?" the blue haired young man questioned before he and Nagisa followed the little girl.

"Makoto." the ravenette said, turning to the taller boy. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." the olive green haired replied, smiling at her.

"Hey, stop talking like a couple about to enter a haunted house." Nagisa called out to the second year students.

Makoto flinched at the haunted house part.

"Did you see that shadow?" Haru asked in monotone, pointing at one of the run-down windows.

Both Kokoro and Nagisa laughed.

The ravenette looked back at her childhood friend, who had a scared look on his face.

"Oh, sorry." she apologized.

"I-It's okay." Makoto stammered slightly.

"I'll go take a look inside, so wait here." Haru told everyone has she started walking towards the old rest house.

"I'll come with you." Kokoro said. "I'll be fine since we're all together." she remarked.

* * *

"Wow, it's so dark." the ten year old girl commented as everyone walked into the rest house.

"I have a feeling something's going to jump out of us." Rei remarked.

"Woah!" Nagisa suddenly exclaimed, causing the blue haired young man with yelp in fear.

"What is it?!" Makoto asked he and Haru turned to the others.

"A flashlight." the blonde first said, holding said object in his hand.

"Don't scare us like that!" Kokoro scolded.

Using the flashlight, the group looked through different rooms in the old building, all of the rooms being empty.

"Looks like this was a kitchen." Haru stated as they came to another room.

"Oh, then there might be food." Nagisa said.

"I'm starving." Kokoro complained.

"How can either of you be thinking about food in this situation?" Rei asked.

"Aww..." the ten year old girl and blonde first year replied in unison.

"That wasn't a compliment." the blue haired young man told them.

"Okay, let's look around." Nagisa said.

"Nagisa-onii-chan and Mako-onii-chan can look through the cabinet over there. Onee-chan and I can check under the sink. Rei-onii-chan gets to check the dubious-looking fridge." Kokoro instructed.

"Wait! Why do I get stuck with the worst job?!" Rei asked.

"Because Rei is for refriger-'rei'-tor." the ten year old replied simply.

Nagisa nodded in agreement.

"That's a bit of a stretch!" the blue haired young man exclaimed. "I-I refuse!" he declared, running in cold sweat. "I have a feeling that something is going to ooze out if I open the door!"

"Stop it." Makoto ordered.

"And you call yourself a man?" Kokoro asked.

"Then we'll use rock, paper, scissors to decide who checks the fridge." Nagisa said.

"Do we really have to open it?" Rei questioned.

"It's the most likely place to have food." the violet haired little girl said, thinking logically.

"There's no power though." Haru pointed out monotone.

"The fridge is our only hope right now!" the blonde first year remarked. "Okay, rock, paper, scissors!"

Everyone stuck out their fists. All of them, except Rei, who had rock, had paper.

"See? It's still Rei-chan!" Nagisa said.

"Fight!" Kokoro cheered.

With reluctant, Rei walked towards the fridge, sweat running down his face. Slowly, he grabbed the handles attached. Then, with a small whimper, the young man threw the doors opened. He sighed in relief when he saw that it was empty.

"It's empty? That's too bad." Nagisa remarked.

* * *

"Okay, everyone. Put these one!" the short blonde said to the others, who were sitting at a table they found, as he held out apron wrapped in plastic.

"Why are we wearing these?" Rei asked.

"I couldn't find anything else." Nagisa replied. "Don't complain."

"We're dry now, so it's not necessary." Makoto remarked.

"And once again..." Rei trailed off.

"Pineapple and mackerel..." Nagisa finished as he looked down at the plate of said foods that was made by the two cousins, who were the only ones wearing the aprons the first year had found..

"Looks like we lucked out." Haru commented.

"Uh, can't you two at least eat them separately?" Rei asked them.

"But putting them together makes them twice as delicious." Kokoro replied as if it was the most simplest thing in the world.

The two first years looked down at the food with dubious looks.

"This water hasn't expired yet, so we can boil it and drink." Makoto informed, holding up a bottle of water he found.

* * *

Later, after boiling the water

"Pineapple mackerel and hot water..." Nagisa started to say after drinking said hot water.

"You should be grateful that we found something edible." Haru told him in monotone.

"True, I just have to use my imagination." the blonde first year said. "This isn't water. It's rich consomme soup. The ultimate soup, glistening gold."

"Doesn't that just make you feel worse?" Rei questioned.

"This is the problem with people who have no imagination." Kokoro remarked.

"At least it warmed us up." Makoto said, being optimistic.

"Yeah." everyone nodded in agreement.

"It's still raining." Haru stated the obvious, looking out a window and saw that rain was still falling outside.

"I guess we'll have to stay here until morning." Rei said.

"What do we do now?" Kokoro asked.

"Sleep." the ravenette replied.

"What?!" Nagisa exclaimed in disbelief. "But we're stranded on a deserted island. Aren't we supposed to harpoon fish and search for edible mushrooms?"

"We're not on a TV show." Rei told him.

"Still, it's hard to go to sleep in this situation." Makoto remarked.

"I know." Nagisa suddenly said. "That's what we could do!"

* * *

Later

"Who's it gonna be~? Who's it gonna be~?" Kokoro sang as the blonde first year tossed the hand-made dice on to the floor, the dice having everyone's name on it.

"It's Rei-chan!" Nagisa announced when the dice landed on the blue haired young man's name.

"Uh, my names on three of the faces." Rei pointed out.

"Because you're Rei-chan." the short blonde said simply.

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"Okay, Rei-onii-chan! Tell us an embarrassing story." Kokoro ordered.

"Why does it have to be an embarrassing story?" Rei asked.

"Go ahead!" Nagisa urged.

"This happened when I was in fifth grade." the blue haired young man began. "I was on a school field trip..."

Everyone sat and listened to his story.

"Oh, it was only your underwear?" Kokoro asked after the story was finished.

"Don't rub it in!" Rei yelled, bowing his head down in an embarrassment.

"Don't worry." Nagisa reassured him, patting his arm. "If you leave your underwear in the locker room, I'll grab it for you."

"I won't!" the blue haired young man declared.

* * *

"Oh, it's Haru-chan's turn." the blonde first year said when the hand-made dice landed on the ravenette's name.

"Tell us about a romantic encounter you've had." Kokoro told her older cousin.

"Or in short, a love story!" the blonde first year said.

"Love story?" the other three repeated.

"Go ahead." the violet haired ten year old encouraged.

"My turn?" Haru asked as she stood up.

"Haruka-senpai's been in love before?" Rei asked/whispered to Makoto.

"Er, I have no idea." the olive green haired young man admitted.

They both looked at the young woman.

"When I was in grade school, my parents took me to climb a mountain nearby." Haru began.

Everyone stared at her with anticipation.

"That was where I had my fateful encounter." the ravenette continued. "I couldn't look away. That intensely beautiful, positively vibrant, sparkling and pristine waterfall."

"Waterfall?" everyone repeated in disbelief. They all sighed.

"That doesn't count as a love story, Onee-chan." Kokoro remarked. 'I really hoped she had some romantic story between her and Onii-chan.' she thought to herself.

* * *

"It's Koko-chan's turn." Nagisa announced when the dice landed on the ten year old's name. "Truth or dare, Koko-chan?" he asked her.

"Wait! Why isn't she going to tell a story?" Rei asked.

"I pick dare." Kokoro replied, ignoring the blue haired young man.

"I dare you to tell us what you fear the most." the blonde first year said.

"What I fear the most?" the violet haired girl repeated. "I don't know. You guys might think it's silly."

"It's the rules." Haru told her in monotone.

"You're going to have to do it." Makoto said.

"Okay..." Kokoro said hesitantly. "I guess what I fear the most is..." she paused for a moment. "Being all alone with no one to love me." she admitted.

As soon as she said that, the other four swimmers immediately wrapped their arms around the little girl and hugged her at the same time.

"You don't have to ever worry about being alone, Kokoro." Haru told her.

"We'll be right here beside, Kokoro-chan." Makoto promised.

"You're such a good girl, Koko-chan!" Nagisa declared.

"And you're so brave and strong, Kokoro-chan." Rei remarked.

"We love you." everyone confessed in unison.

"I love you guys, too." Kokoro replied, smiling happily.

* * *

"Okay, I'm up next!" Nagisa said when the hand-made dice landed on his name. "I've got a performance for you."

The blonde first year stuck his arms to his sides and he started to move in slow, short steps.

"What are you doing?" Rei asked, confused.

"You can't tell?" Nagisa questioned. "That was a rockhopper penguin imitation."

"It was?" Haru asked.

"I couldn't tell." Kokoro said.

"Wh-What?! Why couldn't you tell?! Just look at this!" Nagisa started doing his imitation again.

Makoto laughed.

"Ah, Mako-chan!" the short blonde suddenly exclaimed. "You finally smiled."

"Huh?" was the olive green haired captain's response.

"That's good. You seemed a little subdued."

"Sorry for making you worried." Makoto apologized quietly.

"Uh..." Rei spoke up. "I've been wondering... When you tried to save me, you were acting strangely."

"We're not gonna discuss it." Haru said sharply.

"But..." the blue haired young man started to say.

"Just drop it!"

Everyone fell into silence after the young woman's shout.

"Thanks, Haru." Makoto said, breaking the silence. "It's okay. This is something I want to tell them."

Haru didn't reply.

The olive green haired young man turned to the two first years. "I suddenly felt scared." he admitted.

"Scared?" Rei repeated.

"Scared of what?" Nagisa asked.

A small, sad smile appeared on Makoto's face. "I'm scared of the ocean." he confessed. "When I was little, I would often visit this small fishing harbor in the next town. There was this old fisherman who was really nice and would sometimes play with me. During the summer, there was a festival near the harbor. I wanted to scoop goldfish, but I had already used up my allowance. Instead, I just watched the goldfish swim. But then, the old fisherman showed up with some goldfish for me. I was really happy. But later that summer, there was a big typhoon, and that old fisherman's boat sank. Many people on board drowned. The boat sank about three kilometers away from the harbor. We swim three kilometers every day. I wasn't so much sad as I was scared. I fed the goldfish and changed the water in the bowl, but they still died. Ever since, I've been scared of the ocean. It feels like there's something unknown hiding in the water."

"That's enough, Makoto." Haru said after her childhood friend finished his story.

"But you still tried to save me." Rei stated.

"Hey, can I ask you something?" Nagisa asked. "If you're scared of the ocean, why did you participate in this training camp?"

"Because I wanted to swim." Makoto answered. "Because I wanted to swim with you guys." he said, looking at the others with a small smile on his face. "When the five of us swim together, I feel like we can do anywhere."

Everyone, even Haru, was suprised by his response, all of them gaping.

"It stopped raining." Nagisa said when he looked out the window.

* * *

"Wow! It's gorgeous!" Kokoro exclaimed when she walked out of the old rest house with the other and looked up at the cloudless sky.

"The sky is nice and clear." Rei stated the obvious. "That's the Summer Triangle." he said, pointing at said constellation. "There's Vega from the constellation Lyra. Deneb from the constellation Cygnus. Altair from the constellation Aquila."

"Is that a squid constellation?" Nagisa asked, pointing at a group of random stars.

"Where's the mackerel constellation?" Haru demanded.

"That and the sea lion constellation?" Kokoro questioned.

"Neither of those exist." Makoto told them, chuckling.

"Is that the rockhopper penguin constellation?" Nagisa asked, pointing at another group of random stars.

"No such thing." Rei remarked.

"What? That's no fun. Let's pretend there is one."

"Hey, look at this." Kokoro said, looking down at the ground.

Everyone did as the ten year old girl said and looked down. Under them was a very large puddle of water, the stars above were being reflected in the clear water. Everyone just stood where they were and stared at the water in complete awe-stuck, even Haru looked amazed.

* * *

Early the next morning, the sun just starting to raise

"It's not that far." Nagisa said as everyone stood on the island's beach, facing the their campsite which was kilometers away.

"If we wave, Amakata-sensei and Gou-san might spot us." Rei remarked.

"They're probably still asleep." Haru commented.

"Hopefully, they notice we're missing when they wake up and send a boat." the blonde first year said.

"I'll swim over and let them know." Makoto offered.

"Don't be stupid!" Kokoro exclaimed.

"She's right." Rei agreed.

"But the ocean's so calm right now." the olive green haired young man told them, looking at said calm ocean. "Plus..." he looked at the others. "Everybody's here with me." he said, smiling.

"I'll come with you, then!" Nagisa declared before started towards the ocean.

"I'm coming as well." Rei said as he followed the other first year.

Haru and Kokoro stayed where they were and stared at Makoto until he soon followed the two first years.

"Okay, let's see you can get there first." the olive green haired captain said.

"A race, huh?" Nagisa remarked.

"Fine with me." Rei said.

"Hurry up, Haru-chan, Koko-chan!" the short blonde called to the two cousins.

Haru sighed while Kokoro just smiled. They soon headed towards the others.

* * *

Meanwhile

Rin was jogging along the beach. He came to a brief stop when two tents pitched up on the sand.

"I'm beat..." a familiar voice complained from the ocean.

"We're almost there." Makoto reassured Nagisa as everyone swam closer to the shore.

"Hang in there, Rei-onii-chan." Kokoro said to the older boy.

"What are they all doing?" Rin asked himself as he watched the group.

After a few moments, the redheaded young man jogged away.

* * *

"Oh dear..." Ms. Amakata said when she and Gou saw the five swimmers asleep on the beach.

"What are you guys doing?" the redheaded girl asked. "Hung out to dry overnight? Okay, okay. Time to start practice!"

However, none of them stirred from their sleep.

"Are you listening? Wake up!"

* * *

A few days later, on the last day of the training camp

"Hmm." Kokoro hummed to herself as she tried to think which drink she should get from the vending machine. "So many choices..." she said to herself.

"How long are you going to stand there?" a familiar, male voice questioned from besides the young girl.

Kokoro looked up and found herself staring into a pair of sharp, red eyes.

"Onii-chan." she said.

"Are you going to make a decision or not?" Rin asked.

"Of course I am." the ten year old told him. "You can't rush these things." she turned her attention back to the drink choices, putting her finger to her chin in thought as her two strands of hair twitched in concentration. "Aah!" she cried out when she felt someone grab one of her strands of hair and tugged on it. "What's the big idea?!" she yelled, glaring up at the redheaded swimmer.

"S-Sorry." Rin apologized. "My hand just unconsciously..."

"Unconsciously my foot!" still glaring at him, Kokoro pushed a random button on the the vending machine without looking. She bent down and grabbed the drink, opened the tab, and took a sip.

The second she did, the violet haired girl's face turned blue.

"Pfft!" she turned her head and spit out the drink from her mouth.

"What's wrong with you?" Rin asked.

"T-This is plum juice..." Kokoro said, wiping her mouth with her arm.

"You don't like plums?"

"I hate them!"

* * *

"Ah, nothing like water to get rid of the awful taste of plums off of your tongue." Kokoro said after taking a sip of the bottle of water she had. "Thank you for buying it for me, Onii-chan." she said appreciatively to the young man sitting next to her on the park bench.

"Next time, watch what you're pushing." Rin told her.

"Yes sir." the ten year old replied.

"What were you and the others doing swimming in the ocean a few days ago?" the redheaded young man asked.

"We were swimming back from the island." Kokoro answered. She then told him all the events that led all of them to be stuck on island. "And you should have heard Rei-onii-chan's story." she said, giggling as she remembered the story of blue haired young man told. "Onee-chan also told me a story about you, Onii-chan."

"What kind of story?" Rin questioned.

"About how you called your old swimming coach mom when you were younger." the violet hair girl told him.

"That woman's gonna pay..." the male swimmer swore under his breath, a dark look coming into his eyes.

"Don't be so mad at Onee-chan..." Kokoro started to say, her lips curling back into a small smirk. "Mama's boy."

"Shut up or I'll hit you!" Rin yelled at her.

The ten year old girl just laughed. Then Kokoro turned her attention in front of her. When she did, she suddenly went quiet.

"Why are you suddenly so quiet?" Rin asked, noticing her silence.

Kokoro didn't reply. She just stared ahead of her with a slightly dazed look in her eyes, her lips parted a bit.

"Kokoro?" The redheaded young man called, but he still didn't any response.

Turning his head, Rin saw what had captured the little girl's attention. What he saw was a young couple with a young girl who looked a few years than Kokoro.

"They look really happy together..." the violet haired girl finally spoke up, her bangs shadowing her eyes as her hands tightly gripped the water bottle.

"Kokoro, are you okay?" Rin asked.

"I-I'm fine." Kokoro replied, her voice sounding shaky. "I should get going, the others will be worried if I'm gone for too long." she said as she got up from the bench, tossed the water bottle into a nearby trash can, and started to run away.

"Hey, wait a second!" the redheaded swimmer called out as he got up from the bench and went after the young girl.

When he was close to her, Rin shot out his hand and grabbed Kokoro's arms. As she spun around to face him, the young man was taken aback when he saw tears falling from the little girl's lovely, ocean blue eyes.

"Kokoro..." Rin started to say as he knelt down closer to her height. "Why are you crying?" he asked softly as grabbed the sides of her face with both of his hands and used his thumbs to gentle wipe her tears away.

"You wouldn't understand." Kokoro told him as she sniffled.

"Try me."

The violet haired girl stared at him, her tears now stopped flowing as they just pricked the corners of her eyes. Then she started tell me all of the things that were running through her mind (You'll find out in a later chapter). When she was finished, Rin just started at her intensely.

"After hearing all of that, you must think I'm pretty pathetic, Onii-chan." Kokoro remarked, tears threatening to fall from her eyes again.

A second later, the ten year old girl felt a pair of arms wrap around her.

"You idiot." Rin said as he hugged the younger girl. "You're anything but pathetic." he told her.

"Onii-chan..." Kokoro said softly.

Then she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him back.

* * *

Later

"Thank you." Kokoro said as she walked back to the campsite with Rin, holding the young man's hand.

"For what?" the male swimmer asked.

"For listening to me." the violet haired girl replied, smiling up at him. "You're a good listener, Onii-chan."

Rin didn't reply as he stared down at the little girl.

"Oh, we're here." Kokoro said when she saw the campsite up ahead.

When they reached the campsite, the duo saw a certain ravenette with a certain olive green haired swim captain,who had his arm around her shoulder in a friendly manner.

"I wonder what Onee-chan and Mako-onii-chan are up to?" Kokoro thought aloud.

"That pisses me off..." Rin said quietly to himself, glaring at the scene between the childhood friends.

"You're so jealous." the violet haired girl commented, snickering.

"Wipe that 'I know everything that's going on' look off your face!" the redheaded swimmer commanded. "And I'm not jealous."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night." Kokoro said, not believing him for a second. "I have to go now. I'll see you later, Onii-chan!" she told him before she let go of his hand and rushed over to where the others were.

Rin watched the little girl run over to her older cousin. When she reached Haru, Kokoro jumped up and wrapped her arms around the young woman's neck. Haru wrapped her arms around the ten year old girl. They exchanged words which the male swimmer couldn't hear. After a few moments, Haru turned around and started walking towards the boat that would take them home. Looking over the young woman's shoulder, Kokoro smiled widely at Rin and waved at him. The redheaded young man soon found himself waving back at the little girl.

 _To be continued..._

* * *

 **Omake Four:**

"Nagisa, what the hell are you doing?" Rin asked the blonde swimmer, who was dressed as a witch for some reason.

"Ah, Rin-cha-" Nagisa stopped himself. "I mean, greetings, dear traveler! Is there anything troubling you?" he asked.

"Well, I dropped a coin under this vending machine and I can't reach it." the redheaded young man told him, pointing under said vending machine.

"Well, leave that to me. I shall transform you so your body will fit!"

"Huh?"

"Abracadabra!" Nagisa chanted as he waved his wand over the other high schooler.

"Don't point that thing at me!" Rin yelled.

Suddenly, a puff a smoke surround the redheaded young man. When the smoke disappeared, a young boy was standing in Rin's place. The boy looked down at his small hands.

"Whaaatt!?" he screeched.

"Oh dear!" Nagisa exclaimed. "My bad, I meant to make you slimmer." he said as he looked through a spellbook he pulled out of who knows where.

"Non chink my ade! Nat feik manic trich you'ev!" Rin yelled, immediately putting a hand to his mouth when he heard what he sounded like (He can't speak well).

Nagisa laughed. "You even talk like a toddler!"

"Nont waugh! Nurn me mack!" the redheaded young man, er boy, demanded.

"Alright, geez, just a minute." the short blonde said as flipped through his spellbook.

A few moments later, Nagisa was in air, flying away on a broomstick. "Sorry! I can't find it!" he called down. "Just wait there. I'm gonna talk to my senpai about this!" and then he was gone.

Rin just stood there with a dumbfounded expression.

"Masstard!" he soon yelled. 'What do I do now!?' he mentally exclaimed.

Then the young boy turned around and looked at the bottom of the vending machine. Getting under his knees, Rin reached his hand out under it.

'I got it!' he thought when he pulled at the coin he dropped. 'But I can't reach the button...' he realized after he inserted the coin and wasn't tall enough to reach said button.

Sighing, Rin sat down.

"Little boy, are you by yourself?" a female, and very familiar voice asked.

Rin gasped as he looked up, staring into a pair of beautiful ocean blue eyes.

'Haru?!' he mentally yelled when he saw the ravenette squatting down in front of him with her usual emotionless face. 'Even though she's not the ideal person I wanted to run into, it's better than nothing. I just have to explain the situation to her.' "Maru, Nagima made me chmoll by a manic trich!" he tried to explain to her, but what he said didn't really make any sense.

"I see..." Haru said. "You must be scared being all alone." she remarked as she rubbed his head. "But it's okay now." (She's never seen him at such a young age)

'She doesn't understand me!' Rin thought. 'I can't blame her, though. I can barely understand myself.'

"There's a police box nearby." the young woman informed him. "We can ask someone to help find were you live." then, much to the redheaded boy's surprise, she gave him a small smile. "Let's go, okay?" she said as she held out her hand.

Rin felt his face heat up as he slowly grabbed the ravenette's hand.

"By the way, my name is Haru. What's your name?" Haru asked as they started walking.

"Machsouka Ren." the young boy replied, trying to say his own name but failing.

"Ren-kun..." the raventte repeated the name.

'That's weird.' Rin thought as he suddenly yawned. 'I'm not sleep deprived. So why I suddenly so tired? Is it because I'm a little kid now?'

"Oh, are you sleepy?" Haru asked, noticing how tired the young boy looked. Then she let go of his hand and got in front of him. "Come here, I'll carry you the rest of the way there." she told him, holding out her arms.

'What?!' Rin mentally exclaimed, feeling more awake now.

Then, before he could do anything, the young boy felt two hands grab him and lift him gently up.

'What the hell?! What the hell?!' Rin repeated in his head as he went stiff in the young woman's arms. 'What is happening right now?!'

'How cute.' Haru thought to herself. 'This reminds me of Kokoro when she was this age. He must be around two years old.'

'Haru is holding me?!' the redheaded young boy mentally exclaimed. 'This isn't good! She's way too close!' he thought as he started to struggle in the ravenette's arms.

"Do you hate that?" the young woman asked him as she set him back on the ground.

'Not really...' Rin thought as he stared at her. Then he shook his head. 'I'm sure I'll get punished for this someday.' he said to himself mentally as Haru picked him back up, blushing heavily at how close he was to her above average breasts.

"We'll be there soon." Haru told him as they continued walking.

"Haru-chan?" a familiar male voice called.

"Nagisa." the ravenette said when she saw the blonde first year.

"Nagima!" Rin shouted.

'Woah, he's still mad.' Nagisa thought.

"Do you know this boy, Nagisa?" Haru asked.

"Yes..."

"Do you know where he lives?"

"Yeah, I'll take him home for you." the short blonde said as he took the redheaded young boy from his vice-captain.

"You will?" Haru questioned. "Thank you." then she grabbed one of Rin's small hands with her one of her own. "Goodbye, Ren-kun. See you later." she said as she gave him a small smile.

"By the way, Rin-chan." Nagisa said to the young boy, who's face was entirely red, as he walked away from the ravenette. "The magic for the spell I used is weak, so you should be back to normal within twenty minutes."

Suddenly, puffs of smoke surrounded the boy. When the smoke disappeared, Rin was back to his normal age.

"All's well that end's well!" Nagisa remarked cheerfully as he started to walk away.

"Hold it, you bastard!" Rin yelled as he grabbed the shorter boy's collar and started to shake him violently. "You idiot! How could you leave a small kid all by himself like that?! Because of what you did, I had to go through such embarrassing things!"

"But it was you, Rin-chan!" Nagisa told him. "Despite all of it, didn't you enjoy being held by Haru-chan?"

"Shut up!" the male swimmer exclaimed, his face turning as red as his hair.

"See? You're blushing!"

* * *

"And that's were my dream ended." Kokoro said to Gou after telling her about the dream she had last night.

"You have such an active imitation, Kokoro-chan." the redheaded girl commented.

 **FIN**

* * *

 **And there is chapter six. I hope you enjoyed it. By the way, I got the omake idea from this manga called Love So Life. I recommend that those you have not heard of it to read it. It's great. Anyway, please tell what you thought about today's chapter in your reviews. Until next chapter.**


	7. One Style Finale!

**Alright, time for the seventh chapter. I hope you all enjoy it. Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

Chapter Seven: One Style Finale!

* * *

 _I once fell in love in the past._

"Are you really going to follow your dad's dream?" a thirteen year old Haru asked a thirteen year old Rin.

"I dunno." the young boy replied. "Not right now, at least." he said as he turned and grinned at her.

 _His smile was so brilliant... Almost like he was staring off into some sort of far-away distance that there was no possible way I could reach. What I felt... was that I honestly wanted his dream to come true, but... when I thought about the distance that would come between us that would grow when he left the next day... the only thing I could do... was stare at the ground below, my chest tight with pain._

* * *

Present day

Five Days Until the Prefectural Tournament!

"Amazing, Haru-senpai!" Gou complimented after the ravenette finished her lap in the pool and she checked the time on her stopwatch. "That's another personal best! The training camp from hell paid off!"

"What about me?" Nagisa asked.

"You need to work a little harder, Nagisa-kun." the redheaded manger told him.

"Still, I think we've all come a long way in such a short time." Makoto remarked. "And Rei's been improving his butterfly time."

"It helps that Rei-kun is pretty built from the pole vaulting he's done." Gou commented. "But that's not good enough." she said. "We must aim higher! Find a proper coach!" she declared, pointing outwards with her finger.

"What? Find a coach now?" Nagisa questioned.

"It's never too late to start." the first year girl said. "Even if someone can just help provide some last-minute conditioning, we'll be in better condition for the tournament!" she adds excitedly.

"A coach would help, but there's isn't anyone available." Makoto remarked.

"That's why we must look harder!" Gou shot back with determination in her voice.

"Not necessary." Haru, not standing in front of the manger and captain, said in monotone.

"Yeah, Haru's probably doesn't need a coach." Makoto stated.

"Onee-chan is too good for one." Kokoro complimented as she watched her older cousin step onto one of the starting boards.

After adjusting her swimming goggles over her eyes, Haru got into position. Then she jumped into the water.

* * *

The next day

"Everyone, I've printed out the pictures from the training camp." Gou announced as she walked onto the roof, where the rest of the members were eating their lunch.

"Lemme see!" Nagisa said, excitement obviously in his voice.

"Yes, yes." the redheaded girl replied as she knelt down in front of everyone and spreaded out the pictures.

"You took a whole lot." the blonde first year commented.

"Everybody's having fun." Makoto remarked.

"Look at this one! Haru-chan has a funny look on her face." Nagisa said, pointing to one of the many photos.

"And she's actually looking at the camera for once." the olive green haired young man pointed out.

Haru gave a 'hmmp' sound. "Kokoro wanted to take a picture together." was her reply.

"What is with this picture?!" Rei asked, looking at the picture he had picked up. "It's not beautiful not at all!"

"Um, persevering the moment?" Gou said, not as a statement but as a question.

"Anyway, look here." Nagisa spoke up, holding a picture. "There's something behind Mako-chan."

The swim captain yelped.

"Oh, that's Amakata-sensei wearing a hyaluronic acid mask." Gou explained.

"Hyalu what?" the short blonde questioned, confused.

"Hylauronic acid." Rei told him.

"Don't scare me, Nagisa!" Makoto scolded.

"Sorry about that." Nagisa apologized.

Out of the corner of her eyes, Haru a picture of a certain redheaded swimmer. She picked it up and studied it.

"Is that Samezuka's swim team?" the blonde first year asked when he saw the picture the ravenette was holding. "When did you take that, Gou-chan?"

The redheaded manger giggled slightly. "I did some scouting on the second day." she told them.

"Wow, that's our capable manager." Makoto complimented.

"Did you use your sex appeal again?" Nagisa asked.

"No sex appeal was involved!" Gou yelled. "And I got plenty of data in addition to the pictures. These are the swimmers who will be in 100 m and 200 m breast with Nagisa-kun." she informed. "These are the swimmer in backstroke with Makoto-senpai. This is who will be doing butterfly with Rei-kun. I'll have their individual swimming styles and other information recorded in this secret data by tournament time." she looked over at the older girl. "Oh, and my Onii-chan is in.."

"The 100 m free." Haru finished for her, not taking her eyes off of the picture.

"Yes. He didn't enter in any other events, just so he can focus on his race with you." Gou said.

Nagisa stood up and went over to Makoto. He knelt down and whispered into the captain's ear. "Haru-chan says she doesn't care about her times or winning races, but she's motivated when she's racing Rin-chan."

Makoto turned his head to look at his childhood friend, who was still looking at the photo of the redheaded swimmer. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew, causing the picture to slip out of Haru's fingers and fly away into the sky.

* * *

Meanwhile, at Iwatobi Elementary School

"Kokoro-chan really likes mackerel." a ten year old girl with long, blonde hair with black tips at the end, held into two pigtails, and sharp, green eyes commented.

"A whole lot." another ten year old girl agreed. She had long, orange-brown hair, which extended to the lower end of her back, and small ponytails fastened on either side of her head with red bobbles. A fringe of her hair covered most of her forehead and part of her face and partially covered her ears. She also had blue eyes.

"I love it." the violet haired girl declared with passion as she took a bite of the grilled fish. "You want some, Kanon-chan, Jimeko-chan?" she asked her friend, offering her the piece of mackerel between her chopsticks.

"Thanks, but I'm good." Yukimura Kanon, or known as Kitsune Kanon by her classmates due to her fox-like appearance, declined, holding up her hand.

"Yeah, I'll stick with what I have already." Kurashiki Jimeko said.

"Suits yourselves." Kokoro said before she put the grilled fish in her mouth and ate it. "Mmm. Onee-chan just knows how to make it just the way I like them."

The blonde haired and orange-browned haired girls giggled from their friend's actions. Then, out of the corner of her eye, Kanon saw something floating in the air.

"What's that?" Kanon questioned, pointing at the thing in the sky.

"Eh?" Kokoro and Jimeko both followed their friend's finger, looked up, and spotted what she saw.

"It looks like a piece of paper." the violet haired girl said as she put her bento to the side, stood up, and went towards the piece of paper.

When the paper was close enough to the ground, the ten year old girl jumped up and grabbed it. She looked out and was surprised at what she saw.

"It's Onii-chan?"

"Wow, I didn't know you had such a handsome older bother, Kokoro-chan." Kanon remarked when she came up to the other ten year old and looked at the picture.

"You're so lucky." Jimeko commented.

"He's not my real Onii-chan." Kokoro told her. She looked at the picture again. 'This must have been taken during the training camp.' she thought. 'Probably by Kou-onee-chan. But I wonder why it was floating in the air?'

"Kokoro-chan, lunch is over." Kanon and Jimeko informed their friend. "Time for class."

"Oh, okay." the violet haired girl replied, putting the picture in her pocket, before gathering up her things and headed back to class. 'I'll think about it later.' she told herself mentally.

* * *

Meanwhile, at Samezuka Academy

"Matsuoka-senpai." Ai said as he went over to the redheaded swimmer after he got out of the pool. "Why are you only entered in the 100 m free for prefectuals?" he asked.

Rin didn't reply.

"Your best event is the butterfly, and you've posted great times in it." the silvery haired boy continued.

"You should just focus on your own event." Rin told him. "You swim the individual medley, right?"

"I entered the 400 m free." Ai replied. "I wanted to enter the 100 m free, but our school has a lot of swimmers who are faster than me. But you're good enough to participate in free or butterfly or any event you want. So why?"

The redheaded swimmer didn't respond.

"Is it because of Nanase-san?"

"Hey, what's wrong?" Seijirou asked as he came over to the first and second years.

"Captain, I just..."

"Nothing's wrong." Rin cut off Ai before he walked away.

"Why didn't you say anything to Matsuoka-senpai?" the silvery haired boy questioned the orange haired captain.

"Why are you so upset?" Seijirou asked.

Ai didn't reply as he watched the redheaded swimmer jump into the pool and practice his swimming.

"Well, I'm sure he has he's reasons." the orange haired captain remarked.

* * *

Later that evening, at an old shrine

The Iwatobi swim team, including Kokoro, all clasped their hands together and bowed their heads in front of the shrine.

"Rin-chan isn't swimming butterfly or the relay?" Nagisa asked after everyone finished praying, sitting on the steps with the other male swimmers. "Is it because Haru-chan isn't in those?"

"Why does it matter if Haruka-senpai is in an event?" Rei questioned.

"That's just how they are." the blonde first year replied.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Now, now." Makoto spoke up. "We decided to stick to individual events too, so we could focus on out strengths."

"I wanted to swim in a relay." the blue haired young man admitted.

"You want to be in a relay, Rei-chan?!" Nagisa asked, smiling widely.

"Yes, I rented a video of the Olympics." Rei replied. "It was beautiful to watch four athletes swimming different styles in succession to complete a race together. I was especially impressed by how beautiful the butterfly form was when touching the wall. Personally, I think it's very important that your finish be beautiful, and this shows that athletes around the world fell the same way-"

"What is this Haru-senpai?!" the sound of Gou's surprised voice cut off the blue haired swimmer. "Half luck?"

"Huh? What's going on?" Nagisa asked, coming over to the girls with the others.

"Onee-chan got half luck on her fortune." Kokoro explained, pointing at the fortune slip her cousin had gotten.

"Half luck? I've never seen anything like that before." the short blonde remarked.

"Does that mean that half your luck is good?" Rei questioned.

"What's the other half?" Nagisa asked. "Nice!"

"That doesn't seem to make sense."

"What? I think it does."

Haru stared at her fortune with a blank stare.

 _Focus on you studies._

 _Your business will do well._

 _You'll make lots of good memories._

 _You will be reunited with the person you want to see._

 _Try not lose anything._

 _You will make good friends._

 _You wishes will come true with help from others._

After reading the fortune, the young woman looked away from it and looked up at the evening sky.

* * *

Later

"Haru-senpai."

Haru and Kokoro stopped where they were and turned around to face the redheaded manager.

"What is it, Kou?" the ravenette asked.

"I need to ask you a favor." Gou replied. She held out a brown paper bag she was carrying. "Can you deliver this to my Onii-chan?" she asked. "I'm too busy to do it."

"No." Haru answered without hesitation in monotone.

"Please, Haru-senpai!" the first year girl begged.

"Too annoying."

"It has to be today, Onii-chan absolutely needs them for practice!"

"Get someone else to-"

"You happen to be the only one here capable of doing it! It's pure coincidence!"

Gou handed the bag to the older girl. "Please do it. I'll take Kokoro-chan home and watch her for you." she looked down at the ten year old. "Right, Kokoro-chan?" she asked, secretly winking at her.

"Oh, yes." Kokoro replied, immediately catching on. "You're the only one who can do it, Onee-chan." she told her cousin.

The ravenette sighed. "Fine." she said.

"Thank you so much." Gou said appreciatively. "I'll take care of Kokoro-chan." she told her as she grabbed the violet haired girl's hand.

"See you had home, Onee-chan." Kokoro said to the young woman as she and the redheaded manager started to walk away. "Tell Onii-chan I said hi."

"I will." Haru replied as she watched the two girls walk away. Sighing, the ravenette started making her way to the train station.

* * *

Later

Haru was sitting on the train that would take her to Samezuka, watching the pasting scenery with her usual expressionless face. She exhaled softly as she placed her forehead against the window and closed her eyes. Then, without her permission, a sudden memory entered her mind.

* * *

 _Flashback, four years ago_

"Haru."

The thirteen year old ravenette turned to thirteen year old boy.

"What is it?" Haru asked in monotone. "Don't you need to go home to pack for Australia?"

"No, it's just that..." Rin started to say, his cheeks turning red. "There's something I wanted to tell you before I leave."

"Hm?" the young girl stared at him, waiting for him to say what he wanted to say.

"Um..." the young boy clenched his fists tightly as he looked at her. "Haru, I like you!" he nearly shouted.

Haru's eyes widened slightly as a gust of wind blew and moved her bangs around.

"What is this?" she asked. "I already know that..."

"No, I-I don't mean as a friend..." Rin told her.

Haru eye's widened again.

"Well, of course you're important to me as that, too, and you're a rival I can respect. But that's not all. My feelings for you are more than that. I've... fallen in love with you. It just kind of... happened." he confessed. A small smile appeared on his face. "It's weird, isn't it? I was sure all I'd ever felt was that I didn't want to lose to you as another guy."

The ravenette didn't say anything, her head bowed down with her bangs shadowing her eyes.

"Of course, It's not like I think we should start dating or anything." Rin continued. "I just thought... I should tell you my feelings, or else I might regret it later."

"Why..." Haru said quietly.

"Eh?" Rin stared her in confusion.

"Why would you tell something like that _now_?" she asked, empathizing the word 'now'. "You're really selfish!" she declared, finally raising her head, a small red tinge on her cheeks. "You're leaving tomorrow..." she tightly clenched her fists. "You're... You're abandoning us, so why... why now, of all times, would you..."

 _I just couldn't keep my emotions from coming out._

"When you're trying to understand your feelings, don't involve me!" Haru yelled. "For once, think about how _I_ feel! If you just leave after telling me that kind of thing, I'll..." 'Be stuck, trapped by you. I won't be able to make a move... You'll keep swimming further and further away from me... and in the mean time, I'll be...' she thought to herself, trying to keep the tears that seemed to have come into her eyes from falling.

"Haru..."

Raising her head, the ravenette looked at the redheaded young swimmer. A moment after she did, a pair of lips covered her own. Haru's eye widened in shock and surprise at this. After what seemed laike hours, but was really only a few seconds, Rin pulled away from her.

"I-I'm sorry." he apologized, his cheeks red. "I thought... that was the right thing to do... was I wrong?"

Haru, who's own cheeks were red, stared at him. Then she gritted her teeth together.

"You idiot." she said as she wrapped her arms around him, Rin following in suit.

"Hey, I'm gonna work my butt off and come back, stronger than ever." the redheaded boy told her. "So strong that no one will be able to beat me... Not even you."

Haru stayed silent.

"And then, I'll tell you I love you again... so let me hear your answer then, okay."

The young girl just nodded her head.

"And then..." Rin trailed off as he pulled away from her and grabbed her arms, his face inches from hers. "I-If you fell like it, we... could do that again." he said shyly.

"Do what?" Haru asked, not sure what he meant.

"Y-You know..." the young boy said, he face turning as red as his hair, as he squeezed her arms. "What we just did... I want to... do it again. A lot, next time I see you."

"Eh?!" the ravenette exclaimed, her entire face turning ten shades of red.

'Woah!' Rin thought, surprised by her reaction. He then stated to laugh. 'So cute.'

"Don't laugh at me!" Haru yelled, an irritation vein popping up on her head. "And don't say such weird things, you idiot!"

"Sorry, sorry!" the redheaded boy apologized, still laughing. "But don't you think this is romantic?" he asked, smiling at her.

'This line again?' the thirteen year old girl thought.

"I'm looking forward to seeing you again now!" Rin told her, determination in his voice. "I'm gonna kick your butt in the pool, Haru!" he vowed.

"I like to see you try." Haru retorted coolly.

"Oh, you said it now! You'd better be ready!" still smiling at her, the thirteen year old boy offered her his hand. "Let's go, Haru! Makoto and Nagisa are waiting on us!"

Not saying anything, the young girl grabbed his hand.

 _The way you smiled when you said that... I didn't hate it at all._

* * *

 _Present Day_

 _However, those sappy memories are far in the past._

"Why the hell are you here?" Rin asked as he glared at the female swimmer in front of him, arms crossed over his chest. "Get lost." he ordered.

 _And this is what I have to deal with in reality._

"Nothing much." Haru replied in monotone. 'Urg.' she thought in annoyance. "I didn't come all the way here because I felt like it." 'Such a pain in the ass.' "I was asked to bring this to you." she told him as she reached inside her school bag and pulled at the brown paper bag that was given to her. "Here." she said as she held out the bag. "From your sister."

Not saying anything, Rin took the bag and looked at what was inside.

 _That vision of the future he had, that steeped in so much hope and trust, vanished into a foam in only a year._

"The hell is this?" the redheaded young man asked as he looked at what was inside the bag, which were several books about swimming. "I left these at home, I don't even remember asking Gou to send these to me."

"Huh?" Haru look at the male swimmer with a confused stare. "Didn't you need them for practice?" she asked him. "She said you absolutely needed them today."

"For practice?"

"She said she was too busy to come and give them to you herself, so she asked me to pass them along instead."

Rin finally saw what was going on. Sighing, he rubbed the back of his neck. "You can be pretty naive at times, you know that?" he said to her.

Haru stared at him, not getting what he meant.

The male swimmer 'tsked'. "And Gou's sticking her nose where it doesn't belong, like always."

'He really has changed.' the ravenette thought to herself. 'I never would have though he would turn out like this... Wait, no... The person who caused him to be like this, was me.' she tightly clenched her fist. 'He probably doesn't ever remember... that promise...'

"What's that look for?" the voice of the redheaded young man pulled the young woman from her thoughts.

"Nothing." Haru replied. "Well, I did what I was asked to do. I'll let Kou know. By the way, Kokoro says hi." she turned around. "Bye." she said before she started walking away.

"Wait." Rin called.

Stopping in her track, the ravenette turned around to face him.

"There's something I want to figure out." he told her, rubbing the back of his neck. "Since you're already here, play along. I'll get changed, so wait here."

"Don't you still have practice?" Haru asked him.

"It's almost over anyway." Rin replied. "Oi, Nitori!" he called when he saw his roommate walk out of the pool area with some other swimmers. "I'm heading up first." he gestured with his thumb to the female swimmer. "Gonna use the room to talk with this girl."

* * *

'So this is Rin's room...' Haru thought as they walked into the male swimmer's room. 'It's lot cleaner than I expected.' she mentally remarked as she noticed how clean it was. 'His locker was always a mess when we were younger.'

"Haru..." Rin spoke up after closing the door.

The ravenette turned around to face him. Suddenly, she felt her back hit the wall. Then she felt a hand grab her shirt. Rin lifted up her shirt to see if she was building up muscle, but froze at what he saw. Instead of her swimsuit, Haru was wearing a red, lacy bra with black frills.

"What the hell are you wearing?!" Rin yelled, his face as red as his hair.

The young woman, who had went stiff when he lifted up her shirt, quickly regained her composure. "A bra." she told him in monotone, pulling her shirt back down. Then she grabbed the ends of her skirt and lifted it up, revealing her red, lacy underwear with black fills. "My underwear matches." she said.

"I didn't need to know that!" the young man shouted, his face turning redder if possible. "Why are you wearing that instead of your swimsuit?" he asked.

"It was Kokoro's turn to do the laundry today. She put my swimsuit in with the rest of the clothes, so I had to wear this thing today." Haru explained as she put down her skirt. "So, is there a reason why you lifted up my shirt, you perv?" she asked, crossing her arms under her chest.

"Shut up! I wouldn't have done it if I knew you weren't wearing your swimsuit. I was trying to see if you were building up muscle. But, from what I've seen, I was wrong."

"Eh?"

Turning around, Rin walked over to his bed and sat down, crossing his leg over the other. "Haru, are you even serious about this?" he suddenly asked, drying his hair with the towel that he had.

The female swimmer didn't make any response.

"Still that same flimsy body like always." the redheaded swimmer continued. "Didn't I make myself clear last time?"

'Ah...' Haru thought as she clenched her fist, a shudder running through her body. 'There's that feeling again. Whenever I talk with him, I get this painful throbbing deep inside my chest...' "Did you call me here just to say all of that?" she questioned him.

"Do I need any other reason?" Rin asked. "There's no point in racing a woman who's just swimming for the fun of it. Though it most certainly looks like you're enjoying yourself. I bet that the whole reason you even came here today was to-"

'He pisses me off.'

A second later, Haru was on top of Rin, her hands on either side of his head. The redheaded young man's eyes widened, totally not expecting this development to happen.

"What the hell-"

"Race, race, race." the ravenette cut him off. "Every time I see you, that's all you ever talk about, you bastard!" she yelled, glaring down him. "You really are... very selfish." she told him. 'Stop it...' she thought to herself. 'You shouldn't be saying this kind of stuff now.'

"What?" Rin questioned.

'I know that...' "Always dragging me along with whatever you want..." Haru continued. "Pushing your ego onto me, binding me to you... I'll race you, just like you want me to. But, if you win, what will you do then?" 'But even though...' "I know, you'll just toss me aside and run away on your own again, right?" 'I don't want to hurt him...' "That's how you always were. You've always been doing that."

Rin, now sitting up a bit on his elbows, stared at the girl on top of him, his eyes slightly wide.

"You're just obsessed with my swimming." the ravenette remarked. "You don't care about me at all. So, stop bothering me more than you already are." 'I guess in the end, all I ever was to you was nothing more than a hurdle to surpass.' "Stop making me think that things could go back to the way they were once before." 'I'm the one who's really trapped.' "Just leave me alone!" she demanded. She raised one of her hands and used it to cover her face. "Hurting you, being abandoned by you... Just... I just don't want it anymore!"

The male swimmer's eyes widened even more.

"I know that, even saying this kind of stuff, you probably don't remember that promise you made back then." Haru said. 'I can't stop all of these horrible words from coming out.' she thought sorrowfully, lowering the hand on her face. 'I am, without a doubt, a coward. I'm scared to death...' she tightly gripped the tank top Rin was wearing. 'Of being involved with you.' she got off of him. "I'm leaving." she told him. "You were right, we should not meet again until the tournament."

Suddenly, the young woman felt a hand grab her wrist. The next thing she knew, she was flat on her back with Rin on top of her, his hands holding her wrists on either side of her head.

"What are you-" Haru stopped when she saw his face move closer to hers.

Then the redheaded young man's lips were over hers. Eyes wide with shock, the ravenette moaned as she squirmed under him. She twitched when he grabbed her chin and stuck his tongue into her mouth, clashing with hers. Haru grabbed his wrist with a free, shaky hand. After some moments, Rin pulled away, both him and the girl under him panting slightly.

"There's no way I would ever forget..." he told her. "But I can't say the same things I did back then... Not now."

Haru's eyes widened slightly.

After removing his jacket, Rin leaned his body onto hers.

"Hey!" the ravenette exclaimed, placing her hand on his shoulder. "Wait a second! Ri-" he silenced her by pressing his lips against hers. "Mm." she moaned slightly when he slid his tongue into her mouth again. 'What is he...' she thought to herself, her entire body feeling like it was on fire. 'My chest feels like it's about to melt. And my body won't listen to a thing I say. I have to... to stop this...' she grabbed his tank top and gripped it tightly. 'I have to... tell him...'

"This is what I promised you, isn't it?" Rin questioned.

Haru felt her body jolt when she felt his hand slitter under her shirt.

"I'll be happy to oblige you." the redheaded young man said, grabbing her left breast and squeezing it.

"No, stop it!" the young woman yelled. She put her hand on his shoulder. "Get off-" she tried to push him off, but failed. 'I can't push him off.' she thought.

"That's way I told you to work out more."

"Ah!" Haru cried when she felt him beginning to pull down her skirt. 'No... This isn't...' she shivered when she felt his tongue run down her neck after he undid her bowtie and the buttons of her shirt. 'This isn't how I wanted things to...' she now felt his lips on her chest. "Rin!" she screamed.

Upon hearing her scream, the redheaded young man's body jolted. Getting a good look at the girl under him, Rin's eyes widened. "Haru..." was all he was able to say.

The ravenette's whole body was shaking, her shirt completely unbuttoned, allowing a full view of her bra, her skirt half-way pulled down, showing her matching underwear, her raven black hair spread out under her. But the most noticeable thing was the look of fear on her beautiful face.

"No, this isn't..." Rin started to say, tears filling up in his eyes. "I didn't..." an image of the young woman when she was younger, saying his name while showing one of her rare smile, appeared in his mind. "I didn't want to put this kind of expression on your face!"

'Ah, there it is again.' Haru thought, calming herself down, as she watched the young man's tears fall. 'The same goes for me. I didn't want to make you wear that expression again.' she raised her hand towards him. "Rin." she said softly.

"Damn." the male swimmer cursed. "Why do I always..."

Pulling back her hand, the young woman stared at him. Then, raising both of her arms, Haru wrapped them both around his neck and pulled him close to her. Rin was surprised by her actions. He soon got over it and squeezed his eyes shut.

"It was so easy for me back then." he said, more tears flowing from his eyes. "And now... I can't do it. I can't do anything!"

"Yeah..." Haru responded, squeezing his body closer to hers. "I feel the same."

"Haru... Haru... Haru..." Rin softly called her name.

 _Our freedom is slowly, but surely, sapped from us with age. I never realized how painful it could be._

* * *

Later, at nighttime

"Matsuoka-senpai!" Ai called when he saw the redheaded swimmer and the ravenette. "That was quick. Are you done with the room?" he asked.

"Yeah." Rin replied. "Sorry about that."

"It's no problem." the first year turned his attention to Haru. "You're Nanase-san, right?" he asked. 'Wow, so pretty!' he thought to himself. "Please feel free to drop by again if you like. I'd like to learn a lot from you. About swimming and Matsuoka-senpai."

The tall young woman didn't make a reply.

"Nitori, keep your big mouth shut." Rin ordered. "I'm gonna walk her to the front gates."

"Ah, okay. I'll head back to the room, then. If you go jogging later on, I'll join you!"

"He seems to be pretty fond of you..." Haru remarked as they started making their way towards the front gates.

"Huh?" the redheaded swimmer said, turning to face her.

"You were good with Nagisa, too." the ravenette continued. "Guess that part hasn't really changed. And, even now, Kokoro adores you to pieces."

Rin didn't response.

"Up to now, I had thought you had completely changed, but I guess some of the basic parts are still there."

"What you going on about?" the young man asked.

"Nothing." the young woman replied. "I'm just happy to know that you're still swimming." she told him. 'As I held his trembling body in my arms, I felt like I had scratched away the deepest regions of his heart.' she thought to herself. 'He was always so straight-forward and so innocent. But he stored that part of himself someplace where he can no longer see it himself.' an image of the redheaded swimmer when he was younger, smiling widely at her, appeared in his mind. 'I had thought he hated me, but... I don't think it's that at all.' she turned her gaze to the young man's back. 'He's probably just as scared as I was. That's probably it.'

* * *

"This is as far as I go." Rin said when they reached the academy's front gates. "Don't come here again." he told her before he turned around and started to walk away.

'In that case...' Haru thought as she started taking steps towards him.

The redheaded swimmer stopped walking and turned around when he heard her steps. Then the young woman grabbed his jacket and pulled him towards her, crashing her lips over his. Rin's eyes widened in shock. After what seemed like hours, but was only a few seconds, Haru pulled away from him.

"Rin..." she started to say as she grabbed him by the arms. "I love you." she confessed, looking him straight in the eye.

"Y-You i-idiot..." the redheaded young man said, his cheeks turning red, as he turned his head away from her. "Didn't I tell you? I can't-"

"I know." Haru cut him off. "That's why I'm the one who said it this time. Rin, you're an annoying, selfish brat. An egotistical tyrant, who cries at the drop of a hat and pisses me off in about every conversation we have."

'That's just mean!' Rin mentally yelled.

"But still..." the young woman started to say, a red hue adorning her cheeks. "Despite all of that, I still love you like that. In fact, I believe that I have been love with you for the past four years."

Upon hearing her confession, the young man's entire face turned as red as his hair.

"I don't expect you to answer me now, of course." Haru told him coolly as she bent down to pick up the cap that had fallen off his head when she kissed him. "Once you feel like you're ready, I would like to hear your response." she dusted off the cap like she didn't have a care in the world. "If you promise to not run away and give me a proper response, then I will do my best to help make sure that time comes as soon as possible." she handed the cap to him.

"You can be pretty damn selfish yourself, you know..." Rin said, his face still red from her confession, as he took his cap and placed back on his head. "You're hardly in any position to get on to me."

"Is that what this really is about?" the ravenette asked.

"You had better not run away either!" the male swimmer demanded. "Come at me with all you got! Promise!"

Not saying anything, Haru stared at him for a few moments longer until she turned around and started walking away.

 _Back then, everything seemed to be bright and sparkling. I was able to say what I loved without any hesitation whatsoever. And while I can't go back to being the innocent person I was at that time..._

'My mind's all messed up because of all of this panic and irritation.' Rin thought as he watched the female swimmer leave. 'So I can't just accept it like that.' he raised his hand and clenched his shirt tightly, right where his heart was. 'But, despite it all, I'm still in love with...'

 _We're still bound fast, holding each other back. Firmly strapped down with nowhere to go. So the most obvious solution is to untie each another._

'He didn't have to tell me not to run away.' Haru thought as she looked up at the night sky. 'I'm not going to run, not from anything.'

 _We start all over again from the beginning, and try that romance again one more time._

* * *

At the Nanase residence

"Onee-chan, welcome home." Kokoro greeted when she saw her older cousin walk through the door.

"Did you give the books to my Onii-chan?" Gou asked.

"Yeah." Haru replied in monotone. "He got them."

"Thank you again for delivering them for, Haru-senpai." the redheaded manger said appreciatively. "I hope it wasn't too much trouble."

"It's fine." the ravenette told her. "Thank you for looking after Kokoro. I hope she wasn't too much of a handful."

"She was very good, we mostly talked about some things."

"Let's do it again soon, Kou-onee-chan." Kokoro said.

"You bet." Gou told her, smiling. "I should be going now, before my Mom starts to worry. Bye."

"Bye." the two cousins said in unison as they watched the first year leave.

"Ne, Onee-chan, you were gone longer than I expected." the violet haired girl remarked. "Did something happen between you and Onii-chan?" she asked.

"Not really, we just talked." Haru answered. "I'm going to take a bath. I'll make dinner after that. Do you want to join me?"

"No, you go ahead. I'll wait for you to get done." Kokoro replied.

"Suit yourself." the ravenette said in monotone.

The young woman walked past the little girl and went upstairs to the bathroom. When she heard the bathroom door close, Kokoro quickly went into the living room, sat down in front of the table, and pulled out a piece of paper and a pen out of no where.

'Dear Onee-chan.' Kokoro thought as she wrote on the paper. 'If you get this note and I'm not here, please do not worry. I have gone to visit Onii-chan. I just want to discuss something with him. I will come back as soon as I can. Love, Kokoro.' standing up, she quickly walked out of the house, making sure to close the door as quietly as she could.

* * *

At Samezuka Academy

"Matsuoka-senpai, you're not taking the bus to the prefectuals with everyone else?" Ai asked the redheaded swimmer, who was doing sit-ups.

"I need to go somewhere first." Rin told him.

"Where are you going?"

"Why do you care? Are you stalking me or something?"

"Are you going to see Nanase-san?"

"I'm not!" Rin yelled. "I told you to stop worrying about me and focus on your own event."

"But..." Ai started to say.

"What is it?" the redheaded young man asked.

"I'm upset." the first year admitted.

"Huh?"

"You're only entering free when you have the ability to do more, while I can't enter my preferred event. I fell unless. Sorry if I offended you."

"No." Rin said as he stopped doing his sit-ups and sat on the side of his bed. "You have endurance." he told his roommate. "The 400 m free is better event for you than the 100 m."

"Th-Thank you very much!" Ai said appreciatively.

"I"m going to see my dad."

"Er, I thought that your father had passed away a long time ago..."

Suddenly, the door to the room was flung open.

"Don't do it, Onii-chan!" Kokoro yelled.

"Kokoro-chan?!" Ai said in disbelief.

"Where the hell did you come from?!" Rin exclaimed.

"You can't die!" the violet haired girl shouted as she practically flew into the redheaded's lap, grabbing his shoulders and tried to shake him. "You're so young and you have so much to live for! And suicide is a sin!"

"You idiot!" the young man yelled, hitting the little girl on the head with his fist.

"Ow!" Kokoro cried as she held the bump on her head, comically tears flowing from her eyes.

"I'm not going to kill myself, I'm just going to visit his grave!"

"Eh?"

* * *

Later, in the dorm's lobby

"Thank you very much." Kokoro and Ai said in unison after the redheaded swimmer handed them a couple of drinks from the vending machine.

"I don't think I told either of you about my dad." Rin remarked after taking a sip of his own drink.

"Yeah." the violet haired girl replied, nodding her head.

"Apparently, he was the best swimmer in Iwatobi when he was young." the young man started as he sat down on the bench the other two swimmers were sitting on. "He won tournaments all over the place and brought home lots of trophies and medals. His dream was to become an Olympic swimmer. But he never achieved that dream."

"What happened?" Kokoro asked.

"He got married and had me." Rin replied. "He became a fisherman. Then he died, just like that. Late one summer, a huge typhoon hit. A lot of fisherman died when their boats sank. My dad was one of them."

'Could that old fisherman that Mako-onii-chan told us about also be Onii-chan's father?' the ten year old girl questioned herself mentally.

"I want to achieve the same dream my dad couldn't." the redheaded swimmer continued. "And there's someone I have to beat before I can make that happen."

"Isn't that Nanase-san?" Ai asked.

"She has incredible talent, but all she talks about is nonsense like how much she loves water and wants to feel it." Rin said, crushing the drink in his hand slightly. "She doesn't care about setting records or winning events. And I still couldn't..."

"Senpai..."

"Onii-chan..."

Rin stood up, crushing his drink even more. "If I can't beat her, I can't move forward."

"How childish."

The two male swimmers turned their surprised gazes to the ten year old girl, who's eyes were closed as she calmly sipped her drink.

"Kokoro-chan?" Ai questioned.

"What do you mean by that?" Rin asked.

"Nothing much." Kokoro replied, setting her drink down. She opened her eyes and turned her gaze to the redheaded young man. "It just means that I think you're being quite immature, Onii-chan." she said in monotone with a blank expression, looking and sounding very much like a certain ravenette.

"You little..." Rin growled.

"When you think about, you're acting like a little boy who's trying to win back his favorite toy." the violet haired girl remarked, now standing up on the bench so she was closer to his height, her arms crossed over her chest. "It's kind of sad and pathetic, don't you think?" she asked, tilting her head to the side.

"Shut up!" the redheaded young man yelled as he grabbed the collar of her shirt and lifted her a few feet from the ground.

"Senpai!" Ai exclaimed.

"What's with this little high and mighty act of yours?" Rin asked, glaring at the ten year old.

"I'm just telling you my opinion." Kokoro told, not showing any fear on her face. "Last time I checked, that wasn't a crime."

The two swimmers stared right into each others eyes, one pair showing angry while the other pair showed calmness.

"Tsk." Rin clinked his tongue as she set the girl back on her feet. "You're definitely Haru's cousin." he remarked. "You piss me off just as much as her. You also have quite a big mouth for someone so small."

"I'll take that as a compliment." Kokoro said, smiling.

"Why are you here again?" the redheaded young man asked.

"I came to talk with you." the violet haired girl replied. "Onee-chan came here earlier to give you something. She got home later than I thought she would have and wondered what took her so long. She told me that you two were talking. Is that true?"

"Y-Yeah, I called her up to my room to talk to her." Rin said. 'As if I can tell her that I nearly raped her older cousin.' he thought to himself.

"What were you talking about?" the ten year old asked.

"You ask too many questions."

Before she could retort, Kokoro heard her phone go off. Reaching inside her pocket, she pulled out her phone. Flipping it open, she saw she got a text message.

 _From: Onee-chan_

 _Subject:_

 _Get your ass home now._

Kokoro froze and her two strands of hair went stiff. 'I can feel the anger coming from this message.' she thought fearfully.

"Let me guess, Haru doesn't know you're here?" Rin questioned after reading the text.

"I-I left a note." the violet haired girl stammered.

"Well that just makes everything alright." the redheaded young man said, sarcasm obviously on his voice.

"I guess I better go now..." Kokoro said more to herself as she hopped off the bench and started trudging towards the entrance. Then she stopped in her tracks and turned to the older boy. "Ne, Onii-chan, would it be possible for me to stay here just for one night, ne?" she questioned, smiling cutely as she tilted her head to the side.

"Go home." Rin told her, pointing towards the entrance. "Pay the consequences for your actions."

"Okay..." Kokoro said sadly, a depressed aura surrounding her. "Bye, Onii-chan."

* * *

A few days later, at the Nanase Residence

Zero Days Until the Prefectural Tournament! It's Today!

"Sorry about that, Haru." Makoto apologized as he walked out of his house.

"It's fine." the ravenette said in monotone.

"Today's the big day." Kokoro remarked.

* * *

Meanwhile

A certain redheaded swimmer was standing in front of a stone grave that had the words _'Matsuoka Family'_ craved into it.

'Watch me, dad.' Rin thought as he placed his fist on the grave. 'I'm going to win.' he mentally vowed.

"My, my, what a surprise." a feminine voice remarked.

The redheaded young man turned to the source of the voice. Standing a few feet away from him was a tall, beautiful woman with long, waist-length red hair with split bangs that reached down to her chest and orange eyes. Next to her on a leash was a large, tall dog with white and brown fur, the top part being brown while the rest of his lower body and face were white, and black eyes, a small patch of brown fur was under both of his eyes.

"Mom..." was all Rin said.

"It's been awhile, hasn't it, Rin?" Matsuoka Ryoko (Age: 37, Height: 170 cm, Bust: 92 cm, Waist: 55 cm, Hips: 89 cm) asked, a kind smile on her face. "We sure miss you at home. Right, Ginjirou?" she looked down at the dog.

Ginjirou gave a small bark.

"What are you doing here?" the woman asked. "Shouldn't you be on your way to the perfectural tournament right now?"

"I just came by to say some things to dad." the young man replied.

"I see. So did I." Ryoko said. She walked closer to the grave, knelt down in front of it, and placed the flowers she was carrying down. She closed her eyes and clasped her hands to together.

Rin just stood where he was and watched his mother.

"Rin, are you happy?" Ryoko suddenly asked.

"What kind of question is that to ask?" the male swimmer questioned.

"Just wondering." the redheaded woman told him. "It's a mother's job to worry about her children and make sure they're happy." she looked up at him, a small smile gracing her lips. "I just worry about you, that's all."

"I'm sor-"

"Don't apologize when you have nothing to be sorry for." Ryoko cut him off, standing up and dusting off her pants. "Just go and swim, win, or whatever it is you need to do." she told him, waving her hand.

Ginjirou barked in agreement.

"I will." Rin promised as he hugged his mother. "Thank you, Mom, for everything."

"No problem." Ryoko said, smiling as she hugged her son back. "Just so you know, I've always been proud of you, Rin. Now get going."

"Okay." the young man said as he gently pulled away from her. He grabbed his bag and started to walk away.

"One more thing, tell Haru-chan I said hi." the woman called out.

Rin stopped in his tracks, turned around, and gave his mother a pointed look. Ryoko just smiled innocently. The redheaded swimmer sighed and started to walk away again.

"What am I going to do with that son of mine, Ginjirou?" the woman asked as she watched her son leave.

The large canine just whined and rubbed his head against her leg.

* * *

"Haru-chan! Mako-chan! Koko-chan! Over here!" Nagisa called when he saw the second years and ten year old.

"Hi." Kokoro greeted as they over to where he was with the other first year member.

"Check this out. Rei-chan was so nervous that he didn't get any sleep." the short blonde commented, pointing at blue haired young man's eyes.

"I wish I had nerves of steel like you." Rei retorted.

"You'll get there soon enough. Just relax." Kokoro told him.

"Okay! It's time for the tournament!" Nagisa said excitedly. "Let's do our best to make a good showing and get yourselves a bigger budget!"

"Yeah!" everyone, except Haru, cheered.

* * *

Later

"Iwatobi High School."

"Oh, yes, here it is."

"That's reminds me." Nagisa said after the team made their way to the building the perfectuals were being held. "When we gave our names at a tournament in grade school, they started checking the girl's list."

"You're right." Makoto said, remembering that day.

"Rei-chan also has a girly name, so it's too bad."

"What's too bad?" Rei asked as they walked into the building. "I don't understand what you're saying."

"It's been a long time since we've been in this atmosphere." Nagisa remarked.

"Brings back memories." Makoto commented.

"Are you okay?" Kokoro asked a nervous looking Rei, causing him to stiffen a little. "Haven't you ever been in a track tournament before?"

"Th-This is my first swimming tournament..." the blue haired young man replied.

"If you're so nervous, you can hold my hand." the violet haired little girl offered, holding out her hand as she grinned.

"I don't need to!"

* * *

Later

"Wow!" Kokoro exclaimed when the team walked into a large area with a huge pool.

"Here's the program for the first day." Gou said. "They're starting with free in the morning. Haru-senpai is in the fourth heat.

"Haru-chan and Rin-chan are in neighboring lanes." Nagisa remarked when he looked at the program booklet the team's manager had.

"The heats were drawn based on qualifying times, right?" Makoto questioned.

"Yes." the redheaded first year replied.

"That means they're even." Kokoro commented.

"The eight fastest time from each event advance to the final and qualify for regionals."

"Don't be nervous." Ms. Amakata told them from where she was sitting. "Just swim as you usually do. The most important thing is to never give up. There's a quote by Napoleon. Five minutes make the difference between victory and defeat!"

"Amakata-sensei, that's too long." Gou informed.

"Huh?"

"And why do you have an umbrella opened indoors?" Kokoro asked. "That's bad luck."

"Well, guys, do the best that you can in each event." Makoto said to everyone. "Let's make sure we can leave with no regrets!"

"Yeah!"

* * *

"That's Oga South High School, know as Oga South." Gou informed as she and the rest of the team viewed all the different schools competing. "They have a swimmer who's known as the Whitebait of the Sea of Japan."

"They have someone with that nickname?" Nagisa asked.

"And over there is Saijouin High School." the redheaded manager continued. "They have a swimmer who's known as Joe the Flying Fish. He has an incredible vertical.

"That seems kind of cool." the blonde first year commented. "I want a nickname, too."

"You always stretch yourself out more near the end of a race." Makoto remarked.

"How about Bamboo Nagisa, then?" Gou suggested.

"Why bamboo?" Nagisa asked. "Bamboo has nothing to do with swimming."

"I want to have sea lion in my nickname." Kokoro said.

"Did you collect all of the data by yourself?" Rei asked their manager.

"Well, I'm the manger." Gou replied as she showed him the notebook she had.

"You even took notes on their muscles." the blue haired young man said, sweatdropping.

"But many things can't be expressed through notes." the redheaded first year remarked. "Muscles are the best in the flesh! All of these muscles all together in one place! Wonderful! Marvelous!"

"Hey, Gou-kun!"

Everyone looked down to the source of the voice.

"It's Rin-chan's captain." Nagisa remarked.

"Seijirou-onii-chan." Kokoro said.

"I told him to stop calling me Gou-kun." the redheaded manager remarked.

"I don't see Rin." Makoto said when he didn't see the redheaded swimmer. He looked over at his childhood friend. "Maybe he already headed over to the assembly area.

Not saying anything, Haru grabbed her goggles and started to walk away.

"Haru..."

"Onee-chan..."

"Win your race!" Kokoro and Makoto said in unison.

* * *

As she walked into the girl's locker room, Haru immediately noticed a certain male swimmer leaning against the wall.

"I'm here, as promised." she told him, her face expressionless.

Rin scoffed. "Of course." he said with arrogance in his voice. "I kept my qualifying time low so I'd be in the same heat as you."

"There was no need for that." Haru retorted. "We still would have met in the final."

"I couldn't wait that long." the redheaded young man remarked. "Besides..." he walked over to her, making sure their bodies were just a few inches apart from each other. Then he leaned closer to her ear. "There's no guarantee you'll ever make to the final." he whispered into her ear.

Haru clenched her fists tightly.

"Nothing else matters." Rin continued as he pulled away. "This is between you and me." he started to move past her. "I'm looking forward to it." he whispered in her ear one last time before walking away and out of the locker room.

"Today, I will be free." Haru said to herself.

* * *

"Haru-chan and Rin-chan are up next!" Nagisa said when he saw the two swimmers walking towards the starting blocks with the rest of the free swimmers.

"Who are you cheering for, Matsuoka-san?" Ms. Amakata asked the redheaded manager.

"Both of them!" Gou replied.

"Onee-chan! Fight!" Kokoro cheered on her older cousin.

After stepping onto the starting block, Haru, who's hair was in a high ponytail, turned her gaze at Rin, who looked back her.

"Set."

The two swimmers got into position.

"Go!"

They shot into the water. They immediately started swimming as fast as they could.

"They're fast!" Rei remarked.

"Rin-chan's gotten a lot faster!" Nagisa commented. "He's pulling ahead of Haru-chan!"

"Haru's falling behind in the first leg?" Makoto questioned in disbelief.

"They're entering the turn!" Kokoro exclaimed.

Flipping in the water, Rin propelled himself off the wall, passing Haru with a smug smirk on his face. The ravenette quickly reached the wall, flipped in the water, and propelled herself off of it and towards the redheaded swimmer. Now they were both next-and-next.

"Haru-chan's catching up!" Nagisa shouted.

"Haru!" Makoto called out.

"Haruka-senpai!" Rei also called out.

"Oncee-chan!" Kokoro yelled.

The two swimmers swam with all their might. After what seemed like hours, they finally reached the other end of the pool. Panting heavily, Haru looked up at the scoreboard. What she saw was her name in second placed, Rin's name in first place.

"Onee-chan lost..." was all Kokoro could say, shocked.

"No way." Nagisa said.

"And she didn't advance." Gou remarked sadly.

Rin removed his swimming cap and goggles. "Yes!" he yelled happily, slamming his fist in the water. "Yes!"

Haru, after removing her cap and goggles, just stayed where she was, panting a little bit. Her head was bowed down after seeing her name in second place.

"Haru!"

Lifting her head, the ravenette saw the redheaded swimmer looking down at her.

"I win." Rin told her. "This means I'll never swim with you again. Never."

Haru's lips parted a bit in shock, her eyes widening. "R-Rin..." was all she said in a barely audible whisper as she watched the redheaded swimmer's retreating back.

 _To be continued..._

* * *

 **Omake Five:**

"Is there a reason why you called me out here?" Haru asked the redheaded swimmer standing in front of her.

"W-Well, I wanted to ask you something." Rin told her, blushing slightly.

"What is it?"

The young man's face turned a darker red. "I-I was wondering, i-if you're not busy or anything, w-would you like to hang out this Saturday with m-me?" he asked nervously.

"I will have to decline." Haru replied without hesitation. "I have plans with Makoto this Saturday."

"With Makoto?" Rin repeated, feeling disappointed and jealous.

"Yeah." the ravenette said in monotone. "Maybe we can hang out some other time. I need to go, see ya." was all she said before leaving the male swimmer.

The redheaded young man watched her leave for a moment before he pulled out his phone and dialed a number. Holding it to his ear, Rin listened to the ringing sound until someone picked up. "Yo, Kokoro." he greeted. "Clear your schedule for Saturday. I need your help with something."

* * *

Early on Saturday, at a mall

"There's so many people..." Makoto remarked, taking notice of the very large crowd inside the building.

"We could get separated." Haru commented in monotone.

"That's true." the olive green haired young man agreed. "D-Do think should h-hold hands so that doesn't happen?" he asked, a red blush appearing on his cheeks. "But, then again, we are in public. I guess it would be okay if we don't think about what the people around us think. Right, Haru?" he turned to his childhood friend, however she wasn't there. "Haru!" he exclaimed when he noticed that she had gotten sweep away by the massive crowd.

"Makoto..." Haru called out, waving her arm through the thick crowd of people.

* * *

Later

"That was scary." Makoto commented, now holding hands with the young woman as they walked through the mall.

"Sorry." Haru apologized.

"It's okay, no need to worry about it." the young man reassured her has he patted her head.

Suddenly, the ravenette stopped in her tracks, causing Makoto to stop as well.

"Is something wrong, Haru?" he asked her.

Haru didn't reply. Her face was blank like all usual, however she had an adoring look in her eyes.

'I know that look.' Makoto thought. He followed his childhood friend's gaze and saw what had captured her eye.

Inside a store's display window was a small, white stuffed bear with a red ribbon tied around its neck.

"Do you want that, Haru?" the olive green haired captain asked.

"Can I?" Haru questioned, turning her adoring gaze to him.

"You can, just please stop looking at me like that." Makoto told her, blushing slightly from her look.

* * *

Later

"Thank you, Makoto." the ravenette said as she hugged the stuffed bear closer to her.

"You're welcome." the olive green haired young man replied, smiling. "So, what are you going to name this one?" he asked.

"Not sure yet." Haru told him, holding out the bear at arms-length.

"You really are a girl, Haru." Makoto commented, chuckling.

"What's that supposed to mean?" the tall young woman asked, looking at him with her usual blank expression.

"Oh, nothing. How about we go get some gelato or something?"

"Okay."

Then Haru grabbed Makoto's hand, causing him to blush.

"So we don't get separated again." the ravenette told him in monotone.

"Oh, right..." the olive green haired young man said.

* * *

Later

"Here's yours, Haru." Makoto said as he set two cups of gelato down on the table he and his childhood friend were sitting at.

"Thanks." Haru replied, her stuffed bear sitting on her lap. "Can I taste yours?" she asked.

"Oh, sure."

"Ah~" the young woman opened her mouth a bit, closing her eyes.

Makoto stared at her. "Wh-What is this...?" he asked.

"Put it in my mouth, dummy." Haru told him in monotone. She closed her eyes and opened her mouth again.

'I was hoping it was something else, but it was what I thought it was!' the olive green haired young man mentally exclaimed. 'I'm worried about other people around watching us, but I-I guess just once is alright.'

With a slightly shaky hand, Makoto held out a gelato-filled spon in front of the young woman. Haru took the spoon in her mouth. A few moments later, she pulled back.

"Is it good?" the tallest of the two asked.

"Yeah, it's really sweet." Haru replied.

"That's good." Makoto remarked, smiling.

"Here, Makoto." the ravenette said, holding out a spoon filled with her own gelato towards him with her face blank.

"Eh?" was the olive green haired young man's response.

"This is for giving me some of yours." Haru told him in monotone. "If you don't hurry up and eat it, it will melt."

"O-Okay." Makoto said as he took the spoon in his mouth.

* * *

Meanwhile

"What the hell is with that lovey dovey atmosphere?" Rin growled, his eye twitching, through his shark-like canines as he glared at the scene between the two childhood friends from his hiding spot behind some plants, a dark aura surrounding him.

"They totally look like a couple." Kokoro remarked.

"I'm so jealous!" Nagisa whined. "Mako-chan gets to have a date with Haru-chan!"

"Why the hell are you here again?" the redheaded swimmer asked.

"Kokoro-chan invited us." Rei replied.

"I thought it would be more fun if we did our spying together." the ten year old said. "I'm surprise that Onee-chan agreed to go on a date with Mako-onii-chan. Onii-chan, you must be burning with jealously."

"I-I'm not jealous." Rin denied.

"Then why are you so keen on spying on them?" Rei asked.

"B-Because I..." the male swimmer trailed off, his cheeks turning red.

"I wonder what they'll do after this." Nagisa thought aloud. "Maybe they'll end up spending the night at a love hotel."

"N-Nagisa-kun! Don't jump to such wild conclusion!" the blue haired young man yelled, his face turning red from the thought.

"Love hotel?" Kokoro questioned, tilting her head to the side.

"I'm just saying, it's a possibility." the short blonde said.

"You little bastard..." Rin growled, a dark aura surrounding him again.

"I think you made him mad again, Nagisa-onii-chan." Kokoro said.

A second later, the redheaded swimmer had Nagisa in a choke-hold.

"How dare you say such things in front of me!" Rin yelled.

"Ah! I'm sorry, Rin-chan!" the blonde first year cried.

"Onii-chan..."

"Now what?!" the redheaded young man snapped, turning to the ten year old.

Kokoro just chuckled nervously and pointed upwards, right at Haru and Makoto.

"What the hell are you all doing here?" the ravenette asked in monotone.

* * *

Later

"You thought Makoto and I were on a date?" Haru questioned.

"Yeah." Kokoro replied. "We were spying on you because Onii-chan was jealous."

"I was not!" Rin yelled.

"You were jealous?" the young woman asked him.

"I said I wasn't, damn it!"

"Well, whether you were jealous or not, we weren't on a date. Makoto asked me to accompany him to the mall because he wanted my help to find something for Ren and Ran's birthday." Haru explained.

"Really?" Kokoro and Rin asked in unison.

The redheaded swimmer sighed in relief.

"You look really happy, Onii-chan." the violet haired girl remarked, snickering.

"Shut up! I could care less if she and Makoto dated." the young man said before he started to walk away.

"Tsundere shark!" Kokoro called out.

"Tsundere shark." Haru also called out in monotone.

"Shut up!" Rin yelled. "You cousins piss me off so damn much!" he started to walk away again. 'But, still...' he thought. 'I'm glad it wasn't a date.'

"What are you going to do with Onii-chan?" Kokoro questioned, giggling.

"Yeah." Haru agreed, a small smile gracing her lips as she and her cousin watched the redheaded swimmer leave.

 **FIN**

* * *

 **I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please let me know what you think about it in your reviews. Also, I got Ryouko and Kanon from the anime and manga Shogeki no Soma, Jimeko is from Gugure Kokkuri-san, and I got Ginjirou from the manga Nukoduke. P.S. I got the omake idea from the manga Absolute Duo. Anyway, until next chapter.**


	8. Revenge in the Medley!

**I hope you enjoy chapter eight. Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

Chapter Eight: Revenge in the Medley

* * *

"Oh, there you are. Sorry for being late."

"Coach Sasabe..." Makoto said when he saw the old swimming coach.

"Where were you?!" Nagisa demanded. "You're late, Goro-chan!"

"Thank you for your help the other day." Ms. Amakata said gratefully to Sasabe. "And I appreciate you taking time from work to come support us."

"Oh, it's no big deal." Sasabe replied. He looked at her for a moment. "I really think we've met before." he said.

"No, I don't think so..." the lady teacher trailed off as she turned away from him.

"Jeez, did you come here to hit on girls?" Nagias asked.

"I wasn't hitting on her!" the old swim coach yelled.

"Haruka-senpai already swam her freestyle heat." Rei informed.

"Darn, I missed the prelims. But I can still watch the final."

"She won't be in the final." Makoto stated sadly. "Haru... didn't pass the prelims."

"She lost?!" Sasabe exclaimed in disbelief.

* * *

Meanwhile

'I thought I didn't care about winning.' Haru thought as she leaned against the wall of the girl's locker room, water from the shower falling onto her body. 'Wasn't I... Wasn't I supposed to become free after racing him?'

"Onee-chan." Kokoro called as she walked into the locker room, worry and concern visibly on her face. "Are you feeling okay?" she asked. "If you're upset about the race, then..."

"It's not that." the ravenette told her cousin, her head bowed down. "Thank you for worrying about me, Kokoro. But, I'm fine. I just want to be alone for a while."

"O-Okay..." the violet haired girl replied softy.

Turning around, Kokoro walked slowly out of the locker room, leaving the older girl by herself.

'Onee-chan...' she thought. 'She's acting a bit different than her usual self. What happened?' then she remembered something. 'After the race, I'm positive that I saw Onii-chan say something to Onee-chan. What did he say?' a frown soon appeared on her face. 'Whatever it was, it's made Onee-chan sad. Onii-chan!' with those thoughts in mind, Kokoro run down the hall and went in the direction of the boy's locker room.

* * *

Meanwhile

 _"Mikoshiba-kun in lane four has just set a new tournament record."_

"Wow, that's impressive." Sasabe remarked.

"Isn't Mikoshiba...?" Rei started to say.

"Oh, Samezuka's captain." Nagisa finished. "I thought he was just an enthusiastic person, but he's actually a good swimmer. Right, Gou-chan?"

"Yeah..." the redheaded manager agreed quietly.

"What's wrong, Rei?" Makoto asked the first year, who was looking at his watch with a worried expression.

"Haruka-senpai and Kokoro-chan hasn't come back yet." Rei replied.

"Oh, you're right." the olive green haired captain said.

"They're probably taking a shower together." Nagisa commented.

"They're both taking a long time thought." the blue haired young man said, looking at his watch again. "I'll go check on them." he said as he stood up.

"Rei! Wait up!" Makoto called out as he stood up and followed the first year.

"Hold on, Mako-chan! Rei-chan!" the blonde first year called as he went after them.

"Don't dwell on it." Ms. Amakata said to Gou, who was looking depressed. "That's how sports are."

"It's not that." Gou replied. "I wanted to watch my Onii-chan and Haru-senpai swim together. But that wasn't what I was expecting."

* * *

"Wait, Rei!" Makoto said as he grabbed the other young man's wrists.

"Why are you stopping me?" Rei asked.

"Well, it's because..."

"Calm down, Rei-chan." Nagisa said.

"Aren't you worried about Haruka-senapi?" the blue haired first year questioned.

"What are you guys doing?" a feminine voice asked.

"Kokoro-chan." Makoto said when he and the others saw the little girl.

"Are you looking for Onee-chan?" Kokoro questioned. "I saw her in the girl's locker room taking a shower."

"So she's okay?" Rei asked.

"Well, actually..." the violet haired girl trailed off.

"What is it, Koko-chan?" Nagisa asked.

"It's just that Onee-chan was acting a bit weird when I saw her. I was hoping to get some answers if I asked-" she stopped when she looked in front of her. "Onii-chan." she said softly.

The three other male swimmers turned to where the little girl was looking and saw the redheaded swimmer walking in their direction.

"Rin-chan!" Nagisa said.

"You guys." was all Rin said. "Right, you're all swimming in the tournament."

"They were looking for Onee-chan." Kokoro told him, staring at him with slightly narrowed eyes.

"Haru?"

"She hasn't come back yet." the blonde first year informed.

Upon hearing this, the redheaded swimmer inwardly chuckled and smirked. "Was losing to me that big of a shock to her?" he questioned. "She was the one who said that she didn't care about winning or improving her time."

Kokoro's eyes narrowed even more. "She's not upset about losing." she said.

"That's right." Rei agreed. "There must be some other reason."

"What?" Rin turned his gaze toward them. "What else matters in swimming other than winning?!" he asked.

"There's more." Makoto spoke up. "At least, Haru thought there was something more. That's why she wanted to race you. And I'm pretty sure you're the one who taught her, Rin, what that something was. When we swam in the relay in grade school you-"

"What do I care?!" the redheaded young man yelled, cutting off the swim captain. "I beat Haru! That's all that matters." he said before he walked around them and began to walk away.

"Onii-chan." Kokoro said as she reached out her hand and grabbed his jacket, causing him to stop. "What did you say to Onee-chan?" she asked.

"Huh?" Rin questioned as he looked down at her. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't act dumb." the ten year old told him. "I know I saw you saying something to her after your race with each other. What was it? Tell me now. I won't let go until you do." she said with a serious face, gripping his jacket tighter to prove her point.

The male swimmer sighed. "You're so annoying." he remarked. Kneeling down in front of her, Rin leaned closer to Kokoro's ear. "I told her that I would never swim with her ever again." he whispered.

Kokoro's eyes widened in shock. A second later, a slapping sound was heard. The three other male swimmers just stood where they were, gaping in shock from what they just saw. Rin's eyes were wide in shock. He placed his hand on the cheek where the little girl just slapped him. It didn't hurt, but it caught him by surprise.

"What the hell was that for, you-"

"Idiot!" Kokoro yelled, cutting off the redheaded swimmer. "Idiot! Idiot! Idiot! Idiot!" she repeated, glaring hard at him. "Onii-chan is a total idiot!"

"K-Kokoro-chan, calm down." Makoto said.

"It's your fault that Onee-chan is sad!" the violet haired girl continued. "Onii-chan, you're the biggest jerk in the world! I hate you!" she shouted before she run past him.

"Wait, Koko-chan!" Nagisa called out.

But the little girl was already gone. As for Rin, he just stood up straight, shocked when the ten year old said declared she hated him.

"Rin, what did you say to Kokoro-chan?" Makoto asked.

Snapping out of his shocked state, the redheaded swimmer just scoffed. "That's none of your business." he said before he turned around and walked away. 'Kokoro...' he thought.

* * *

"Onii-chan, you jerk..." Kokoro said to herself, tears flowing down her cheeks, as she sat with her back to the wall of the girl's locker. "It's all your fault that Onee-chan became sad." she pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. "Even if she doesn't realize it herself, what Onee-chan really wants is to swim with you and the others." she placed her forehead on the top of her knees. "And so do I..." she said quietly as she sobbed silently.

"Kokoro-chan."

Upon hearing the male voice, the young girl turned her head up. "You guys..." was all she said when she saw the three male swimmers.

"Are you okay?" Makoto asked worriedly when he saw her tears.

"To be honest, not really." Kokoro replied, quickly wiping away the tears with her jacket sleeve.

"What did Rin-chan say to you that made you slap him?" Nagisa asked.

"Well..." the violet haired girl started to say. "I don't really want to talk about it." she told him.

"Did it have to do something with Haruka-senpai?" Rei questioned.

"I said I don't want to talk about it." Kokoro repeated. "And if you're planning on talking to Onee-chan, forget it. She doesn't want to talk to anyone right now. Besides, you guys have your own races coming up." a small smile came onto her face. "You all should focus on what you can do right now."

* * *

Later

"Where's Haruka?" Sasabe asked.

"Oh, we couldn't find her." Rei answered.

"Man, what's she doing? Makoto's about to swim."

"I'm gonna go get her!" Nagisa suddenly yelled, standing up. "I want Haru-chan to watch us swim!" he said before he took off.

"Wait, I'll go with you!" Kokoro called as she quickly followed after the first year.

"Nagisa-kun?! Kokoro-chan?!" Gou called out, but the two were already gone.

* * *

Meanwhile

'Back then...' Haru thought to herself, sitting on a seat in the hallway while she stared up at the ceiling with a blank stare. 'If Rin had won, would I feel differently now? Rin is swimming to complete in the Olympics. What about me? Why do I swim?' her mind was suddenly plagued by what the redheaded swimmer had said to her at the end of their race. 'What he said at the end of the race...' she thought. 'Was that his answer? Could it mean that... he doesn't love me?' a single drop of water fell from her wet hair and ran down the left side of her face, mixing together with the single tear that fell from her left eye.

"Hey! Haru-chan!

"Onee-chan!"

The ravenette snapped out of her thoughts and turned her head to the voices that called her.

"There you are!" Kokoro said.

"Mako-chan's race is about to start!" Nagisa told her, panting from running so much. "Hurry up!"

"I'll pass." Haru said in monotone.

"I don't think so!" the violet haired girl and blonde first year shouted in unison as they grabbed the young woman's wrists, pulled from her seat, and dragged her with them.

* * *

"Go, go, go, go, go, Makoto!" Sasabe chanted into the megaphone he had as the olive green haired swim captain swam in the backstroke race.

"Go, go, go, go, go, Makoto!" Gou, Rei, and Ms. Amakata all repeated the chant.

"Swim, swim, swim, swim, swim, Makoto!"

"Swim, swim, swim, swim, swim, Makoto!"

"Not loud enough!" the old swim coach yelled at the other three. "You've gotta shout from your belly!" he pointed the megaphone at the blue haired young man. "Especially you, Rei! Don't be shy!"

"Yes!" Rei shouted back.

"Fight, fight, fight, fight, fight, Makoto!"

"Fight, fight, fight, fight, fight, Makoto!"

"Give it all you got, Mako-onii-chan!" Kokoro cheered from where she was standing with her cousin and the blonde first year.

As everyone cheered on the swim captain, Haru just stood where she as she watched her childhood friend turn in the water and push himself off the wall and started to swim back towards the other end. Her expression was one of what seemed to be surprised and amazement as she watched him reach the other end.

"Man, Mako-chan was so close!" Nagisa remarked as he saw Makoto's name appeared in second place.

"He almost had a fast enough time to qualify!" Kokoro commented. "He was so close to making the final!"

"Alright! I'm up next!" the blonde first year said excitedly, pumping his fists.

"Yeah, go get'em." Sasabe remarked.

After climbing out of the pool, Makoto saw that his childhood friend was staring down at him. Haru, noticing that his eyes made contact with hers, turned her gaze away from him. The olive green haired young man stared at her for a while longer before he smiled slightly.

"Go, go, go, go, go, Nagisa!" the old swim coach shouted through the megaphone as the first year student swam through the water.

"Go, go, go, go, go, Nagisa!" everyone, expect Haru, repeated.

"Swim, swim, swim, swim, swim, Nagisa!"

"Swim, swim, swim, swim, swim, Nagisa!"

* * *

Meanwhile

'Haru thought there was something more. That's why she wanted to race you. And I'm pretty sure you're the one who taught her, Rin, what that something was.' Rin replayed what Makoto had said to him while he sat inside in Samezuka Academy's bus, his arms behind his head. Then the words that Kokoro had said to him rang clearly through his mind. 'It's you're fault that Onee-chan is sad! Onii-chan, you're the biggest jerk in the world! I hate you!'

* * *

Meanwhile

"I couldn't do it!" Nagisa whined.

"It was close." Kokoro told him.

"You made a huge push at the end." Gou said.

"I believe it's finally my turn." Rei spoke up as got up from his seat.

"Will you be okay, Rei-chan?" the short blonde asked.

"I've got this." the blue haired young man replied confidently, pushing up his glasses. "Despite how I may look, I'm better in actual competition." he stated.

"If you drown during the race, I'll use CPR to revive you." Kokoro said.

"You won't need to!"

* * *

"Wow, his form is perfect." Sasabe remarked after Rei had dived into the water.

"Huh? Look at Rei-kun's goggles." Gou said when she noticed something off about the blue haired young man.

"Ah! They slid off!" Kokoro and Nagisa exclaimed in unison.

"It must have happened when he dove in." Makoto thought aloud.

"Go, go, go, go, go, Rei!" the old swimming coach chanted into his megaphone.

"Go, go, go, go, go, Rei!" the others, besides the ravenette, repeated the chant.

"Swim, swim, swim, swim, swim, Rei!"

"Swim, swim, swim, swim, swim, Rei!"

"Fight, fight, fight, fight, fight, Rei!"

"Fight, fight, fight, fight, fight, Rei!"

Haru just stood where she was and watched the first year swim, her expression being of what seemed to be amazement.

* * *

Later into the evening

"I apologize." Rei said to everyone in the parking lot. "I wasn't good enough."

"You shouldn't say that." Ms. Amakata told him. "You were able to swim a personal best. That's a great thing."

"You might have qualified if your goggles didn't slip off." Nagisa remarked.

"Er, that seems a little far-fetched." Rei said.

"In any case, everyone performed well." the brown haired teacher commented.

"There's a sense of accomplishment, right?" the blonde first year questioned.

"Yeah." Makoto agreed. "Let's start preparing the next tournament."

"Oh? Where's Nanase-chan and Kokoro-chan?" Ms. Amakata asked when she noticed the absence of the ravenette and violet haired girl.

"It looks like they both left off without us."Nagisa said.

"Huh? Really?" Gou questioned.

"Yeah, Haru wasn't feeling fell." the olive green haired young man informed. "And Kokoro-chan went with her to make sure she was alright."

"Oh, I guess that's can't be helped, then." the lady teacher said. She turned to the redheaded manger. "Matsuoka-san, can you take it from here?" she asked.

"Yes." Gou replied.

"Then I'll be leaving now." Ms. Amakata told everyone.

She got into her car and drove off.

"It's been a while since I got my blood pumping." Sasabe said. Nice job. See ya!" he told the others before driving off himself.

"He came here on that?" Rei asked.

"Is his work gonna be okay with this?" Nagisa questioned. "It's over." he said.

"Yeah." Makoto agreed.

"It would have been nice to go to regionals." the blue haired first year remarked.

"After we practiced so hard, I was thinking at least one of us might have made it through. But it's not that easy in reality." the swim captain said.

"There's more to swimming than I realized." Rei said more to himself. "Understanding it in theory isn't enough to win. I'm getting fired up."

"Well, it's a little late for that." Nagisa remarked, laughing a bit.

"No, it's not too late." Gou disagreed.

The three swimmers looked at her with confusion on their faces.

"There's still the second day of the tournament tomorrow." the redheaded first year said.

"But the events we entered were all today." the blonde first year pointed out.

"The second day is the individual medley and the relay..." Makoto said, placed his hand to his chin in thought. His expression changed to one of surprise as he turned to the club's manger. "Gou-chan, don't tell me that..."

"I'm sorry!" Gou apologized as she clasped her hands together. "I signed you up for the medley relay in secret!" she informed.

"What?!" the three swimmers exclaimed in unison.

"I told Amakata-sensai about it." the first year girl told them.

"So if we win the relay..." Nagisa started to say.

"We can go to regionals!" Gou finished.

"That's crazy. This is too sudden." Makoto said. "We didn't practice at all for the relay."

"Why didn't you say something sooner?" the blonde first year asked.

"Because it sounded like Haru-senpai didn't want to be in a relay." Gou answered.

"Let's do it." Rei suddenly said, causing everyone to look at him in surprise.

"Rei-chan?" Nagisa questioned.

"This is our final chance." the blue haired young man continued. "We haven't practiced for the relay, but it's still worth a shot!" he said with determination.

The other two male swimmers looked at each other for a moment, turned their heads back to their teammate, and nodded at the same time.

* * *

Later that night

"No luck. They're not home yet." Rei said when he and the others arrived at the Nanase house.

"We can enter upstairs!" Makoto said.

"Got it!" Nagisa shouted as he and everyone else followed him up a flight of stairs.

"Uh, wait!" the blue haired first year called. "Is this really okay?!"

"They're not on the second floor!" the short blonde informed after he checked in Haru's room.

"They're not in the bath!" Gou said after checking the bathroom.

"You shouldn't run around someone's house when they're not..." Rei started to day but trailed off when he noticed a picture laying on a self. He picked it up and saw that it was picture of Haru, Rin, Makoto, and Nagisa when they were younger and had won the relay.

"Haru..." the olive green haired swim captain said to himself as he looked up at the stars in the sky outside.

"Let's wait for her and Kokoro-chan to return." the blue haired young man said.

"Will Haru-chan agree to swim in the relay?" Nagisa asked.

* * *

Meanwhile, at Iwatobi High School at pool

Haru was staring up at the sky with a blank stare as she floated through the water, kicking her feet gently. She soon went under the water.

'What was it I really wanted?' the ravenette asked herself mentally. 'What was I trying to do?' different types of memories that had happened between her and Rin entered her mind. 'What was it all for?'

She resurfaced in the pool and gasped for air. When she caught her breath, Haru soon noticed a certain violet haired girl standing beside the pool.

"Kokoro..." was all the young woman said as she got out of the pool. She walked over to her cousin and immediately saw that tears were falling from her eyes. "What's wrong?" she asked as she knelt down to the little girl's eye level.

Kokoro didn't say anything. Instead, she wrapped her arms tightly around Haru's neck and hugged her as tears fell from her eyes even more. "I'm sad because of what Onii-chan said to you after your race." she said.

After hearing what the ten year old said, Haru immediately wrapped her arms around her cousin and hugged her back. "How did you find out?" she asked.

"Onii-chan told me himself." Kokoro replied. "I'm sorry, Onee-chan." she apologized.

"Idiot. You have nothing to be sorry for." the ravenette told her, pulling her closer to her.

* * *

Back at the Nanase residence

"They're still not back yet." Gou stated the obvious as she and other first years sat at the table in the living, Makoto sitting outside on the porch.

"Where'd they go?" Nagisa asked.

"What if..." Rei started to say.

"Rei-chan! Don't say scary stuff with that look on your face!" the short blonde yelled, slamming his hands on the table.

"I didn't say anything yet." the blue haired young man retorted. "But..."

"Don't worry." Makoto suddenly said, taking the others to look at him. "Haru's not that weak." he remarked, looking at them from over his shoulder.

"Oh, her cell phone!" Nagisa exclaimed. "Let's call her!"

"Haru-senpai has a cell phone?!" Gou asked, completely surprised.

"Why didn't you say something sooner?!" Rei yelled.

"Well, I've never actually use her cell phone..." the blonde first year admitted.

"Anyway, let's call her!" the blue haired first year said.

Pulling out his phone, Nagisa dialed Haru's number. He held it to his ear and listened to the ringing, waiting for her to answer.

"She's not answering." he said when the call went to voicemail.

"Leave a message." Rei told him.

"Haru-chan? Where are you and Koko-chan right now?" the short blonde asked into the device.

"Please hurry home." the blue haired first young man said after he took the phone. "We're all worried."

Gou took the phone this time. "I'm sorry, Haru-senpai!" she apologized. "I signed everybody up for the medley relay!" she informed.

Nagisa took back his phone. "Yeah, so let's swim together tomorrow, Haru-chan." he said.

"I'll be fine!" Rei reassured into the device as he grabbed his friend's wrist and pulled it towards him. "I'll have the theory memorized by tomorrow!" he vowed.

"Rei-chan, that's sure sign that you'll fail." the blonde swimmer remarked.

"I just have to memorize the theory for how not to fail, also!" the blue haired swimmer retorted.

Soon, the three first year heard the signal that their message had ended.

"Will Haru-senpai come home after listening to that sloppy message?" Gou asked.

"It'll be okay!" Nagisa reassured her. "Our chaotic message has what it takes to touch Haru-chan deep down!" he said confidently. "Wait..." he said when he something caught his eye. "Haru-chan left her cell phone here!" he exclaimed when he saw the ravenett's cell phone laying nearby.

"What?!" the two other first years yelled in disbelief.

"Haru usualy doesn't carry her phone around with her." Makoto told them.

The others just sighed.

"It's getting late." the swim captain said. "We should head home."

"But..." Gou started to say.

"I don't think Haru will swim tomorrow." Makoto remarked, a sad smile on his face. "We'll have to forfeit."

No said anything as their expression turned downcast.

* * *

Sometime later

Haru was walking up the stairs that led to her house, carrying Kokoro, who was asleep, on her back. When she reached the top of the stairs, the young woman was surprised to see that the light was on when she was certain she turned them out. When she reached the door and slid it out, Haru was taken aback when she a certain olive green haired swim captain sleeping on the floor, leaning against the wall.

"Makoto?" she questioned.

She then noticed that her cell phone was held in his hands. Haru slowly slid Kokoro off of her back, gently placing her beside her childhood friend, taking her cell phone from his hands after doing so. The young woman saw that she had a voice message. She held the device to her ear. Her eyes widened when she heard the message the three first years had left her, remembering their cheering and swimming earlier that day. When the message ended, Haru removed the phone from her ear. She looked down at her sleeping childhood friend. She closed her eyes for a moment, opening them a second later. She knelt down in front of the swim captain.

"Makoto, Makoto." she said she shook him by his shoulder.

"Haru?" Makoto questioned as he slowly woke up, rubbing his eye.

"Onee-chan?" Kokoro questioned as she also woke up.

"We have a relay to swim, right?" Haru asked.

The other two swimmers stared at the young woman for a moment, slightly confused. Then their expression changed to ones of shocked and surprise.

* * *

Earlier the next morning

"Yes, hello?" Nagisa asked tiredly after answering his phone, which it what woke him up. He listened to the person on the other line. "What?! Haru-chan did?!" he exclaimed in shock.

* * *

Meanwhile

"She's going to swim?" Rei asked after hearing what the person who had called him said.

* * *

At the Matsouka residence

"That's great!" Gou said happily. "I'll call Amakata-sensei right away!" she ended the call.

Then the door to her room opened.

"Gou, is everything okay?" Ryoko asked as she walked into her daughter's room, Ginjirou following her in.

"Everything is just fine mom." the redheaded manger told her mother. Then she hugged the large canine around his neck. "Ginjirou, Haru-senpai agreed to swim in the medley relay today! Isn't that great?!" she said excitedly.

Ginjirou barked a few times before he licked the girl's cheek, wagging his tail.

Ryoko just stood where she was, smiling to herself.

* * *

Later into the day

"Are you sure about this?" Ms. Amakata asked as she, Haru, Kokoro, Makoto, and Gou waited for Nagisa and Rei outside the building the relay will be taking place. "You haven't practiced for the relay at all, right?"

"I don't know how we'll do, but we'll give it our best shot." the swim captain retorted. He turned his head to look at his childhood friend. "And this isn't our first time." he said.

Haru looked him with her usual blank stare.

"But it is for, Ryugazaki-kun." the lady teacher remarked.

"Nagisa-kun and Rei-kun aren't here yet." Gou stated the obvious.

"Where are they?" Kokoro asked.

A moment later, the two second year students were quickly making their way to the group.

"Sorry we're late!" Nagisa apologized.

"Sorry!" Rei also apologized.

"Geez, what were you guys doing?" the violet haired girl asked.

"Actually..." the short blonde started to say.

"We were practicing the exchange in the pool at school." the blue haired young man answered.

"That eliminates the possibility of Rei-chan completely failing!" Nagisa declared.

"When did you..." Makoto trailed off.

"Haru-chan..." the blonde first year said as he turned to the taller girl. "I'm thrilled that we get to swim in a relay together again." he told her, smiling.

"Let's do this together, Haruka-senpai." Rei said.

"Okay, time to show everyone that our training paid off!" Nagisa shouted enthusiastically.

"Yes, that's why we're here!" the blue haired first year agreed with determination in his voice.

Makoto look at his childhood friend and saw her slightly surprised face, causing him to smile.

"So much enthusiasm." Ms. Amakata remarked, giggling.

"Let's give it our best shot!" Kokoro yelled, her two strands of hair twitching excitedly.

"Yeah!" the rest of the swim team cheered, expect Haru, and pumped their fists in the air.

* * *

Meanwhile

Rin was sitting on one of the couches in the hallway, stilling thinking about what Makoto and Kokoro had said to him yesterday.

"Matsuoka-senpai! Come with me, quickly!"

"What is it?" the redheaded swimmer asked, not turning to look at Ai. "It's not time for Samezuka's relay yet."

"No! Nanase-san's club is in the relay!" the first year student told him.

"Huh?"

* * *

Later

Rin quickly ran towards the area the pool was at. When he made it, he saw a certain swim team standing at one of the starting blocks.

"They signed up for the relay?" he asked himself. He gritted his teeth together when he saw Haru standing there with her usual stoic manner.

Soon, it was time for the relay. The backstroke swimmers got into the pool and grabbed the bars attached to the wall of the pool. When the signal was given, the swimmers swim through the water.

'His stroke...' Rin thought to himself as he watched Makoto swim thorough the water. 'A rough but dynamic stroke that leaves everyone behind...' he was then plagued by a memory of the swim captain when he was younger. 'It hasn't changed at all since then. That's Makoto's stoke.'

Ahead of the other swimmers, Makoto quickly made it back to the other end of the pool. When he touched the wall, Nagisa dived into the water.

'And I can't forget Nagisa's stroke.' the redheaded swimmer thought. 'How he speeds up after the turn... And how he creates the illusion that his arms extend when he swims...' he then remember the blonde first year when he was younger, too.

When he made it back the other wall of the pool and touched, Rei shot into the water and started to swim.

'And him...' Rin thought as he watched the blue haired young man swim. He scowled, his eye twitching in annoyance. 'Is that supposed to be butterfly? Pathetic.' he clenched his fist tightly. 'Why is someone like you swimming with them?!' he gritted his teeth together.

"How did it feel to swim with them?"

Rin gasped in surprised, turned around, and saw a certain violet haired girl staring up at him with cold, ocean blue eyes, her face void of any emotion."

"Kokoro..." was all he was able to say.

Kokoro stared at him a bit longer until she closed her eyes. Giving a small sigh, she turned around and walked over to where Gou and Ms. Amakata were.

'I can't forgive you so easily for what you said to Onee-chan, Onii-chan.' she thought to herself. 'But...' she gripped her fist tightly. 'I hope things will soon turn alright in the end and we can all swim together.' a small smile appeared on her face as tears pricked the corners of her eyes.

Haru stepped onto the starting block when see saw Rei swim back to the other side of the pool. She was about to pull down her goggles when she saw a certain redheaded swimmer. She stared Rin for a while with a slightly surprised expression on her face. Her face soon turned back to being blank as she adjusted her goggles over her eyes.

'I don't need an answer right away.' Haru thought to herself as she got into position. 'For now...'

The second Rei touched the wall, the ravenette shot into the water.

 _To be continued..._

* * *

 **Omake Six**

It's December time

"Ne, Kokoro-chan, do you have any plans for Christmas?" Kanon asked as she and her friends walked to their homes.

"I do." Kokoro replied, stopping for a moment to catch a snowflake on her tongue.

"What is it?" Jimeko asked.

The violet haired girl giggled. "That's a secret." she told them, winking at them.

"Aw!" the two other girls whined.

* * *

Later, at the Nanase residence

"Onii-chan, can you please come over to the house?" Kokoro asked after she called the redheaded swimmer.

"Why should I?" Rin asked from the other line.

"Please?" the ten year old girl begged. "If you come over, then we can have some hot chocolate with mackerel." she offered.

"Not everyone likes to have mackerel with everything." the young retorted.

"Just come over." Kokoro said. "If you don't, then Onee-chan might be stolen from you." she told him.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Rin asked.

"I overheard Mako-onii-chan talking about taking Onee-chan out for a Christmas date tonight." the young girl told him. "Who knows, Onee-chan make actually end realizing that he's in love with her, figure out that she feels the same, and the next thing you know, they're kissing under the mistletoe."

The line on the other end was silent.

"I'm on my way." Rin finally said. "Make sure she doesn't leave the house."

"Okay!" Kokoro replied cheerfully. She giggled to herself as she ended the call. "Everything is going according to plan." she said to herself.

She then went off to make sure everything was in place.

* * *

Sometime later

"Coming, coming." Haru said in monotone as she went to see who had rung her doorbell multiple times.

When she opened the door, the young woman was surprised to see a certain redheaded swimmer standing there.

"Rin? Why you here?" Haru asked.

"Kokoro called and invited me." Rin answered. "She also told me that you would be going on a date with Makoto tonight."

"Say what?" the ravenette questioned. "Makoto and I aren't going on a date." she told him.

"So that damn brat did lie to me." the young man said more to himself. "When I get my hands on her..."

"Oh, Onii-chan, you're here." Kokoro said when she saw him standing in the doorway.

"You lied to me, you brat!" Rin yelled, pointing an accusing finger at her.

"I'm sorry." the ten year old apologized. "But I thought it was the only way to get you to come here." she told him.

"You should know better then to lie to less intelligent people, Kokoro." Haru remarked, her face expressionless.

"Are you calling me stupid?!" the redheaded swimmer asked, glaring at her.

"I never said that." the young woman said in montone.

Rin just growled as a vein throbbed in his forehead. "That's it, I'm out of here." he said as he was about to turn an leave.

"Wait, Onii-chan!" Kokoro called. "You can't leave yet."

"And why not?" the young man asked.

The violet haired girl just smiled and pointed upward. The two swimmers blinked in confusion. They looked up and froze when they saw a mistletoe handing above their heads.

"Haru..." Rin spoke up, not taking is eyes off the ornament. "Why do you have a mistletoe hanging in the middle of your doorway?" he asked.

"It wasn't there this morning." Haru replied.

The two teenager turned their gazes to Kokoro, who was just smiling innocently with sparkles surrounding her.

"You both know what two people under the mistletoe must do, right?" she asked.

'She planned this whole thing.' Haru and Rin thought at the same time, both glaring at the ten year old.

"Well, don't let me stop you. Go right ahead." Kokoro told them, making a 'go on' motion with her hands.

'Do we really have to kiss?' the redheaded swimmer thought, blushing at the thought. He looked at the ravenette and was surprised to see a light, barely noticeable red hue on her cheeks. 'So she can make those kind of expression.' he mentally remarked. He sighed. "Screw it, let's just get this over with." he said.

"Y-Yeah..." Haru agreed, nodding her head.

Grabbing both sides of her face with his hands, Rin slowly pulled the young woman's face towards him. They both stared into one another eyes as their faces got closer to each other. Then they both closed their eyes and closed the distance between them, their lips coming together. Kokoro mentally cheered that her planed had worked. After what seemed like hours, but was really only a few moments, the two swimmers pulled away from each other, their faces bright red. They looked away from each other, not knowing what to say now.

"That was better than I thought it would be." Kokoro remarked. "Luckily, we shall cherish this memory for years to come." she said, holding up a camera.

Rin and Haru stared at the little girl blankly. They looked at each other and nodded at the same time.

"Give us that camera, Kokoro!" they yelled in unison as they reached for her.

"Eep! Run away!" Kokoro exclaimed as she turned around and ran as fast as she could.

 _Rin-chan and Haru-chan spent the rest of the day chasing after Kokoro-chan in hopes of getting the camera and destroying the picture of their intimate moment._

 **FIN**

* * *

 **Finally done, whoo! I hope you guys liked it. Please tell me what you think about it in your reviews. Also, if you have any request for any FemHaruxRin stories, please PM me. Until next chapter. P.S. Merry Christmas!**


	9. Hesitant Loosen Up!

**Alright, time for chapter nine. I hope you all enjoy it. Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

Chapter Nine: Hesitant Loosen Up!

* * *

The second Rei touched the wall of the pool, Haru dived into the water and started to swim.

"Go, Onee-chan!" Kokoro cheered from the stands.

"She passed one!" Makoto exclaimed.

"She's in fourth now!" Nagisa said.

Haru turned in the water and propelled herself off the wall, swimming back to the other side.

"She pasted another one!" Kokoro said. "She's in thrid."

"Another one!" Gou shouted. "She's in second! Second!" she squealed, clasping hands with the ten year old girl.

"She's closing in." Makoto stated. "They're dead even!" he yelled when he saw his childhood friend catch up with the swimmer in first.

Rin stood where he was as he watched the ravenette swim pass him.

Soon, Haru swam ahead of the other swimmer. Next thing that happened, her hand touched the wall.

"We won!" the three other male swimmers cheered.

Kokoro, Gou, and Ms. Amakata all cheered as well.

Haru, panting, removed her goggles and let down her hair from the ponytail she had it in. She looked up at the scoreboard and saw that her school's name was in first place, Samezuka Academy in second.

"Haru, that was amazing!" Makoto complimented, holding his hand out to the young woman.

"You did it, Haru-chan!" Nagisa said happily.

"Haruka-senpai, that was truly inspiring!" Rei declared.

"Yeah, my heart was racing from just watching!" the short blonde agreed.

"Same here! Mine's _still_ racing!" the blue haired young man stated.

Haru just stared at her friends. She then got out of the pool.

"We actually get to go to regionals." Makoto said.

"I love you, Haru-chan!" Nagisa yelled as he and the other boys hugged the female member.

"You're all heavy..." the ravenette said in monotone.

From where he was, Rin watched the team, remembering when they were younger and winning the swim tournament.

* * *

A few days later, at Iwatobi High School

The entire student body had gathered outside the school on the track and field, all were standing in front of a wooden stage, where the Iwatobi Swim Club was standing. Standing in front of a microphone stand, was a young woman with long, light brown hair, which was tied into two large braids, orange eyes, and glasses.

"As the President of the Student Council, I would like to personally congratulate the Iwatobi Swim Club on their victory in the medley relay." Todo Toka (Age: 17, Height: 165 cm, Bust: 89 cm, Waist: 56 cm, Hips: 88 cm) said into the microphone. "Despite being a brand-new club, our swimmers placed in the top eight at prefecturals and qualified for regionals. We hope that they're able to advance to nationals." she turned to the members of the club. "Best of luck to all of you." she told them, smiling kindly as she bowed slightly.

Once she said that, everyone in the crowd started to clap.

* * *

Later

"Thank you for wishing us luck, Toka-chan." Makoto said appreciatively to the student council president as everyone walked back to the school building.

"It was no problem, Makoto-kun." Toka replied. "Thank you all for working so hard."

When they made it to the school building, everyone saw a banner that had _'Congratulations to the Swim Club on Making Regionals'_ written on it.

"They were really ready for this." Nagisa commented when he saw the banner.

"It's obvious that they reused an old one." Rei remarked. "But it's finally starting to sink in that we won."

"Yep." the blonde first year agreed. "They'll treat us like heroes when we enter the classroom." he said as he and the other first year began making their way to their classroom.

Gou then went over to where her friend was.

"We won?" Haru asked, more to herself.

"Haru-chan?" Toka questioned, looking at the taller girl with a confused look. "Is something wrong?"

"It's nothing." the ravenette told her in monotone.

"I see..." the light brown haired girl said, knowing that something was bothering her classmate but decided not to press the issue. Then something came into her mind. "Haru-chan, if you like, perhaps you can join me to hang out together after school today." she offered.

"Eh?" Haru blinked, slightly surprised. "Why are you inviting me?" she asked.

"I just figured, since we're classmates and all, we should get to know each other better." Toka replied. "Don't you think?" she smiled warmly at the young woman.

"She would love to go."

"Eh?" the three second years looked down at the source of the voice.

"Kokoro?" Haru said in surprise. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in school?" she asked her cousin.

"I heard that you guys were being congratulated on your victory in the medley relay today. So I just had to come and give my support." Kokoro answered, smiling cutely.

The ravenette stared at her cousin with a blank expression. Then she knelt down to her eye level, grabbed the her cheeks, and pulled on them.

"Ow!" the violet haired girl cried out in pain, comically tears falling from her eyes.

"You idiot." Haru said in monotone. "You should be in school and getting an education, not playing hooky." she told the little girl.

"I'm sorry, Onee-chan..." Kokoro apologized as her cheeks were still being pulled.

"Is this your little sister, Haru-chan?" Toka asked.

"She's my cousin." the ravenette corrected her, finally releasing said cousin's cheeks. "I should get her back to her school."

"Actually, she can stay in the Student Council's office during school." the student council president told her. "I wouldn't want you to get in trouble for leaving school grounds during classes. And I'm sure you can tell Kokoro-chan's school that she had to leave for family matters."

"I don't want to give you any trouble." Haru said.

"It's no problem at all." Toka replied. "I'll be happy to."

"I see..." was all the ravenette said. "I guess I have no choice. Thank you, Toka." she thanked the other girl in monotone. "Also, I will accept your invitation to hang out after school."

"Really?" the light brown haired girl asked in surprise.

"Yeah." Haru replied. She turned to her childhood friend. "Makoto, can you take care of Kokoro for me after school?" she asked.

"Sure." the swim captain said.

"Excellent." Toka said happily, smiling widely. "Meet me at the school's gates when classes are finished." she told the ravenette. "Please come with me, Kokoro-chan." she said as she grabbed the little girl's hand and led her to the student council office. "My name is Toka Todo, by the way." she introduced herself.

"Nice to meet you, Toka-onee-chan." Kokoro greeted. "You know, you're very pretty." she complimented.

"Oh, thank you very much." the student council president said.

Haru watched the two leave for a while until she looked up back at the banner. "We won?" she asked herself again, unaware that her childhood friend was staring at her.

* * *

Later, in class

The ravenette was looking out the window and at the sky outside with her usual blank expression. Memories of the day she and her teammates swam in the medley relay raced through her mind. She placed a hand over her heart and tightly clenched her shirt.

* * *

Later, after classes

"Where's Haru-senpai?" Gou asked, walking to the pool with the rest of the swim club.

"She decided to hang out with Toka-chan after school today." Makoto answered.

"They're having some bonding time." Kokoro remarked.

"When have those two been so friendly with each other?" Rei questioned.

"Well, Toka-chan actually went to the same middle school with me and Haru." the olive green haired young man explained. "Ever since then, she's been trying to get Haru to warm up to her. And it looks like she's finally making some progress."

"Anyway, we've accomplished our objective of placing at a tournament, so they should give us a bigger budget." Nagisa said. "And we can use that budget to swim at a gym all the time!"

"That's true." Kokoro agreed.

"How can you say that?" Gou asked.

"Huh?" the other four questioned.

"Weren't you listening to Toka-senpai? Our next objective is to make it to nationals!" the redheaded manger explained. "Always aim high!" she said with determination in her voice.

"Okay!" Nagisa exclaimed with just as much determination. "Let's do our best to make it to nationals! I'll be the first one to the pool!" he yelled as he ran towards the pool.

"I don't think so!" Gou shouted as she raced him.

"Last one there is a sea urchin!" Kokoro said as she followed the two first years.

"You think you can beat a former track and field athlete?!" Rei exclaimed as he ran after them.

Makoto watched the other four run off. Then he smiled widely as he slapped his cheeks. "Okay!"

"We'll mainly be running drills for now." Gou told everyone. "Rei-kun, you'll work on your kick. You'll be training to develop a faster and stronger kick."

"Yes, ma'am." the blue haired young man replied.

"Nagisa-kun, you'll focus on strengthening your crawl stoke." the redheaded manger said to the other first year.

"Okay." Nagisa said.

"Makoto-senpai, you need to work on making you acceleration more even."

"Got it." the swim captain said.

"Let's start warming up then!" Kokoro exclaimed cheerfully.

"Hello, everyone." Toka greeted.

"Eh?" everyone said in surprise.

"Toka-chan, what are you doing here?" Makoto asked. "I thought you and Haru were going to hang out after school."

"We are." the student council president told him. "I'm helping her with her swimming." she pointed towards the pool.

The swim club members turned their heads and saw a certain ravenette climbing out of the pool.

"Great work, Haru-chan." Toka complimented the taller girl. "Here you go." she said as she handed her a towel.

"Thanks." Haru replied in monotone as she took the towel and rubbed it against the side of her face.

"Onee-chan's really motivated." Kokoro remarked.

"Maybe she's upset about losing at free." Rei suggested.

"Perhaps." Nagisa said.

Makoto stared at his childhood.

"I'm happy to see you so motivated, Haru-senpai." Gou said to the older girl.

"I'm not." Haru retorted.

The redheaded manger blinked in confusion.

"I was swimming because I didn't know what to do." the ravenette told her.

Everyone just looked at the young woman with confused expressions.

Haru turned her head to look at the water in the pool. "I figured I should ask the water about matters involving water." she said.

"What do you mean?" Toka asked.

"Well, everyone's here now." Makoto spoke up. "Let's start practice."

"Yes, you're right." Gou agreed. "Then everybody should hurry and change into their swimsuits."

"Yes, ma'am." everyone replied.

"You don't mind if I stay and watch, do you?" Toka asked.

"You can stay if you want to, Toka-senpai." the redheaded manger replied.

While the others swimmers went to change, Makoto looked at his childhood, who had on her usual blank expression.

* * *

Meanwhile

A young woman with short, chin-length, and wavy dark brown hair, and wearing a business walked into the front office of Iwatobi High School

"Excuse me." she said to the secretary.

"How may I help you?" the secretary asked.

"I'm looking for a student by the name, Nanase Haruka. Is she here?"

"She's most likely in the pool area."

"Thank you." the business woman said appreciatively as she walked out of the office.

* * *

Later at the pool

When the dark brown haired woman made it to the pool, she immediately noticed a certain raven haired swimmer in the pool. The woman was mesmerized by how beautifully Haru was swimming.

"Um, excuse me?" Gou asked the lady.

"Ah!" she yelled, startled. "Oh, I'm sorry." she apologized. "I didn't mean to disturb your practice."

"May we help you with something?" Toko asked, crossing her arms under her chest.

"My name is Sakura Ota." the woman introduced herself, removing her sunglasses and revealing her deep, green eyes and the beauty mark under her right eye. "I'm a reporter for a sports magazine." she explained.

"You want to interview Onee-chan?" Kokoro asked.

"That's right." Sakura said.

As Haru got out of the pool, she looked over at the woman. Sakura turned to her and opened her mouth to say something, but stopped when she saw the ravenette's body.

'Wow, her figure is amazing!' the dark brown haired woman thought, blushing slightly. 'I know models who don't even look like her.' she stared at the female swimmer's breasts and thighs. 'Is she really in high school?' she asked herself mentally. "Excuse me, are you Nanase Haruka-san?" she asked.

"Yes, I am." Haru replied in her usual monotone voice.

"I'm Sakura Ota, a reporter, and I would like to interview you." Sakura told her.

"I refuse." the ravenette replied without hesitation and went to get her water bottle.

'A split second decision.' the ten year old, swim manger, and student council president thought at the same time.

"Eh?" Sakura said in surprised, obviously not expecting the rejection. "H-Hey, wait!" she called out as she went after the female swimmer. "Please, it'll be a great issue!" she begged.

Haru didn't budge.

"Why do you want to interview Haru-senpai?" Gou asked.

"Because she's a girl on an all boys team." the reporter explained. "I interview women in men's sports. And when I heard about your friend, I just had to interview her."

"Wow, really?" Toka said in amazement.

"Haru-senpai, that's a huge deal!" the redheaded manger exclaimed to the older girl.

"Maybe you should consider it, Onee-chan." Kokoro told her cousin.

Haru didn't say anything as she got her towel. Then the rest of the team out of the locker rooms, ready to start practice.

"Who's she?" Nagisa asked when he saw the dark brown haired woman.

"I have no idea." Makoto replied.

"Oh, boys." Toka said when she noticed the male swimmers. "This is Sakura Ota-san, she's a reporter for a sports magazine." she explained.

"Apparently, she wants to interview Onee-chan." the violet haired girl informed.

"Eh?" the young men all said in surprise. "Really?" they asked in unison.

"Yup. But Onee-chan is being Onee-chan and refused the offer." Kokoro told them.

"Why would you do that, Haruka-senpai?" Rei asked the second year girl.

"Because it's too much effort." Haru replied in monotone.

"Please reconsider!" Sakura begged.

"No." the ravenette said.

"Haru-chan is very stubborn." Toka told the reporter. "It's useless to keep asking her."

"I shall not give up!" the dark brown woman declared. "I most certainly will get an interview out of her, just you wait and see! I'll come back some other time, ready to interview the hell out of you!" she called to Haru as she left the pool.

'She definitely seems like the persistent type.' Kokoro thought to herself. 'I feel like this is going to turn out to be an annoying thing.' she mentally remarked with a sigh.

* * *

Later that afternoon

"What else do we need on our list?" Kokoro asked her cousin, who she was out grocery shopping with.

"Potatoes." Haru replied in monotone.

"I'll go and get some." the violet haired girl said before she wandered off to get the vegetable. "There they are." she said to herself when she found what she was looking for.

The ten year old girl gathered several potatoes in her arms. Then one suddenly fell and rolled off on the floor.

"Ah! Come back, Mr. Potato!" Kokoro cried out as she tried to reach the vegetable.

Suddenly, a large paw placed itself on the rolling potato, stopping it's movements. The violet haired girl soon found herself staring into the black eyes of a large dog with brown and white fur and wearing a black collar.

"Good boy, Ginjirou." a redheaded woman said as she came to stand beside the canine and rubbed his hand. The woman bent down, picked up the potato, and handed it to Kokoro. "Here you go." she said, smiling kindly at the girl.

"Thank you." the violet haired girl said appreciatively as she took back the vegetable.

"Kokoro, there you are." Haru said when she spotted her cousin.

"Onee-chan, this nice lady and her dog helped me get back the potato." Kokoro told her cousin.

"I see..." was all the young woman said.

"Haru-chan?" the redheaded woman questioned when she saw the ravenette. "Is that you?"

"Ryoko?" Haru said in surprise when she got a good look at the woman.

"Onee-chan, you know her?" Kokoro asked.

"She's Rin's mother." the ravenette replied.

"Eh?!" the violet haired girl exclaimed in shock. "You're Onii-chan's mama?" she asked Ryoko.

"Yes." the redheaded woman replied. "You must be Kokoro-chan, Haru-chan's cousin. Rin told me about you."

"You look like you could be his older sister." Kokoro remarked.

"That's sweet of you to say, but I'm thirty-seven." Ryoko told her. "By the way, this is Ginjirou." she gestured to the large canine.

"Wow, he's really big and fluffy." the ten year old girl commented as she petted Ginjirou with one hand.

"He is, isn't he?" the redheaded woman said. She looked at the ravenette. "By the way, Haru-chan, Gou told me you guys won the medley relay. Congratulations."

"Thank you." Haru said in monotone.

"Have you been well?" Ryoko asked.

"I've been alright." the ravenette replied.

"I see..." was all the older woman said. "Haru-chan, are you happy?" she suddenly asked softly.

"What do you mean?" Haru questioned, confused.

"Nevermind." Ryoko said, waving her hand. "I'm just running my big mouth." she looked at the watch on her wrist. "Would you look at the time, I need to get going. Come along, Ginjirou." she said as she grabbed the large dog's leash and pulled him along with her. "It was nice seeing you, Haru-chan. Nice meeting you, Kokoro-chan. Bye."

"Bye, bye, Ryoko-onee-san." Kokoro said as she waved good-bye to the woman.

"Haru-chan, I would like it if you both come by to visit every once and a while." the redheaded woman called back over her shoulder.

"Sure..." Haru replied, nodding.

Ryoko smiled at the cousins before she continued on her way home. "She's definitely grew up into a beautiful young lady." she remarked.

Ginjirou barked in a agreement.

"She and Rin would look so good together." the redheaded woman sighed dreamily. "My grandchildren would be so lovely."

The large canine just gave a dog-like sigh.

* * *

That evening, at Samezuka Academy

"Senpai, you're swimming well." Ai complimented to the redheaded swimmer in the swim club's locker rooms.

"I guess." Rin replied.

"You posted a personal best during the group stage, so it looks like your decision to focus on the 100 m free paid off." the first year continued. "I wasn't able to make it to the final."

"Yeah, that's too bad." the redheaded young man said.

"But I'll do everything I can to support you, so do your best!" Ai told him. Then he noticed the look on the taller boy's face. "Senpai."

Rin didn't make any reply. He sat down on one of the benches.

"Is something wrong?" the silvery haired first year asked.

"Not really." the young man retorted.

"You were really happy about beating Nanase-san." Ai remarked.

"Yeah..." Rin said softly.

"Then you can move on now."

The redheaded swimmer didn't say anything. Then the door to the locker room opened.

"Hey, hurry up." Seijirou said. "We're leaving."

"Huh?' Where are we going?" Ai asked.

"Weren't you listening? We're off to pray for victory." the swim captain explained.

"Oh, that's right. Today is Haciman-sama's..."

* * *

At the Nanase residence

"Festival?" Haru and Kokoro questioned in unison.

"Yep, there'a summer festival for Hachiman-sama!" Nagsai said excitedly, wearing a light blue yukata with brown and yellow circles on it.

"Onee-chan, let's go!" the violet haired girl declared. "It sounds like it'll be lots of fun!"

"But..." the ravenette started to say.

"The shrine also hosts a festival for the god of water." Makoto explained. "We should pay a visit before regionals. If that's okay with you."

"Rei-chan's waiting for you and Koko-chan to join us." the blonde first year told her. "The four of us must go together or there's no point. His words."

"Was that supposed to be a Rei impression?" the swim captain asked.

"Alright." Haru said. "Kokoro and I will get dressed." she told them.

Makoto and Nagisa looked at each other and smiled widely.

"Kokoro, I have an old yukata you can wear." the young woman told her cousin as they went off to get change.

"Okay." Kokoro replied.

* * *

A while later

"Sorry to keep you guys waiting." the ten year old apologized as she came down the stairs after she finished changing. "Do I look good?" she asked as she gave a small twirl, showing the two males swimmers her outfit.

Kokoro was wearing a red yukata with pastel colored flowers over it, a dark purple obi was tied around her waist and formed a big bow on the back, getas (wooden sandals) were on her feet, and her hair was styled into two pigtails that were held together by small, yellow heart barrettes.

"Koko-chan looks so cute!" Nagisa declared.

"You look great." Makoto complimented.

"Thank you very much." Kokoro said appreciatively. "If you think I look good, you should see Onee-chan." she remarked.

Then, as if on cue, the ravenette came down the stairs. The two males swimmer's mouth dropped when they saw her.

Haru was wearing a short, light blue yukata, that had a darker blue flower pattern on the sleeves, that ended at her thighs, a dark purple obi with lighter purple flowers on it was tied around her waist, getas with white socks, and a pink flower on the right side of her head that held some of her hair up in a loop.

"Do I look that bad?" the young woman asked, noticing her teammates shocked expression.

"No!" Makoto immediately told her. "You look amazing, Haru." he said, blushing a bit.

"So pretty!" Nagisa declared.

"Onee-chan looks like a princess." Kokoro remarked.

"Now you're just exaggerating." Haru retorted.

"But it's true." the violet haired girl insisted.

"Haru-chan has really grown over the years." the blonde fist year commented, noticing the ravenette's large, exposed cleavage.

"Where are you looking when you saw that?" the olive green haired young man asked, already knowing the answer.

* * *

Later, at Hamciman-sama festival

"Hey! Rei-chan!" Nagisa called out when he and the others saw the blue haired young man, who was wearing a black yukata with gray stripes. "Did you wait long?" he asked.

"No, I just got here." Rei told them.

"Oh, good one, Rei-onii-chan." Kokoro complimented. "Onee-chan, Mako-onii-chan, Nagisa-onii-chan, if you arrive early for a date, that's what you have to say." she told the other swimmers.

"Yeah, yeah." Makoto said. "Let's visit the shrine first."

"Let's go!" the violet haired girl exclaimed cheerfully.

* * *

Meanwhile

"I'm a fan of yukata." Ai commented as he and Rin exited the train station with rest of the swim team. "We should have worn ours. Oh, I believe you're familiar with this area, Senpai."

"You can say that." the redheaded swimmer replied.

Then, out of the corner of his eye, Rin noticed a small group a kids, three boys and a girl, who was the only one of the group wearing a yukata.

"Sorry, I'm late." the girl apologized.

"Took you long enough." one of the boys remarked.

"Whatever." she retorted. "So, how much money did they give you?" she asked.

"I got a lot. We have to try the candy apples." the boy said.

"Huh? I wanna play shooting games!" the girl told him.

"We still can. Candy apples come first!"

She sighed. "Fine. Let's just go already!" she shouted as she grabbed the boy's hand, causing him to blush, and pulled him along with her to the festival with the rest of their friends.

Rin stood where he was and watched the kids leave.

* * *

Meanwhile

"Squid! Squid! Squid! Candy apples! Squid!" Kokoro and Nagisa said unison as they looked around the festival in excitement.

"There's squid everywhere." the violet haired girl stated the obvious.

"Nothing's change." the blonde first year commented.

"Just squiddy."Rei remarked.

"So where should we start?" Nagisa questioned.

"Don't ignore me!" the blue haired young man yelled.

"Squid Catching Heaven is about to start." Makoto informed.

"What kind of weird event is that?" Rei asked.

The ten year old, short first year, and swim captain all looked at him.

"And why are you looking at me?"

"Rei-chan." Nagisa spoke up.

"I refuse." Rei immediately said.

"You should participate." Kokoro insisted.

"No way!" the blue haired young man refused again. "It sounds so... slimy!"

"Give it a try!" Nagisa persisted.

"Absolutely not!"

As the conversation went on, Haru was staring blankly at different colored balloons floating in a tank of water in one of the game stalls.

"Haru, we don't want to lose sight of Nagisa and Rei." Makoto said when the two first years started to make their way to the event.

"Y-Yeah..." the young woman replied.

* * *

"It looks like fun." Kokoro remarked as the swim team watched the event. "Rei-onii-chan, you can still join." she told the blue haired young man.

"Not happening." Rei replied without hesitation.

"What about you, Mako-chan?" Nagisa asked.

"I'll pass." the olive green haired young man said.

"Hey, you're all here." a familiar, female voice said.

"Oh, Gou-chan and Toka-chan." the blonde first year said when everyone saw the redheaded manger, who was wearing a red yukata with a flower pattern on it and her hair in a high bun, and the student council president, who was wearing a white yukata with pink flower petals on it.

"Hello." Toka greeted.

"You're wearing yukata." Nagisa stated the obvious.

"You both look cute." Makoto complimented.

"You mean just our yukata?" the light brown haired girl asked.

"Not exactly..." the swim captain replied.

Toka just giggled.

"Wow, Haru-senpai, you look amazing." Gou complimented the older girl.

"That yukata suits you." the light brown haired girl remarked.

"Thank you." Haru said in monotone.

"Should we get something to eat?" Rei questioned.

"I recommend the squid paella." the student council president told them.

"Sounds delicious!" Nagisa said excitedly.

"Well, we'll be watching the Squid Ink Calligraphy Contest." Gou informed.

"I hope you all enjoy the festival." Toka said.

"Okay, bye." Kokoro said as she waved good-bye to the two girls.

"What do you guy want to eat?" Makoto asked.

"We have to start with fried squid!" Nagisa declared.

"I want squid tempura." Rei said.

"Let's look around then." the olive green haired young man said.

"Oh, I could go for some paella." the blonde first year informed.

"Yeah, let's go through the stalls first." Makoto told him.

"Let's go then." Kokoro said.

"Kokoro-chan!" two female voices called out.

"Kanon-chan, Jimeko-chan." the ten year old girl said when she saw her friends. "You guys came to the festival, too, huh?" she asked.

"Yup." Kanon, who was wearing a wearing a green yukata with pink stripes, replied, her pigtails being held up with green ribbons.

"We just got here." Jimeko, who was wearing a light pink yukuta with a dark pink obi around her waist and white flowers holding up her ponytails, told her.

"You both look so cute." Kokoro complimented.

"Not as cute as Kokoro-chan." the orange-brown haired girl complimented back.

"Ne, Kokoro-chan, you sure are sneaky." Kanon commented, nudging her friend with her elbow. "Keeping such handsome guys all to yourself." she gestured to the three male swimmers.

"You're so silly, Kanon-chan." the violet haired girl remarked.

"Is she your cousin? The one you told us about?" Jimeko asked, pointing at Haru.

"Yep, she is." Kokoro replied. "Isn't she super pretty?"

"Very pretty." the orange-brown haired girl agreed.

"Not to mention big." Kanon commented, staring at the ravenette's chest. "Anyway, Kokoro-chan, we're gonna go and check out some of the games."

"Oh, okay, have fun." the young swimmer said as her friends started to leave.

"Bye." the two girls said in unison before they left.

"It's nice to see that you have friends your own age, Kokoro-chan." Makoto commented.

"Yeah, they're my bestest friends." Kokoro said, smiling widely.

"That's good." Haru remarked, rubbing her cousin's head.

"Now, let's get something to eat!" the ten year old exclaimed cheerfully as she grabbed the young woman's hand and dragged her to the food stalls.

* * *

Meanwhile

"Okay, dismissed." Seijirou said to the swim team after they finished praying at the shrine. "You're free to walk around and enjoy the festival. However, don't get into any trouble."

"Yes, sir!" the team replied.

"Senpai, how about we look around?" Ai suggested.

Rin didn't reply as he started to walk away.

"Wait for me!" the first year called as he followed the taller boy.

* * *

Meanwhile

"Haru-chan!"

"Ryoko." the ravenette said when saw the redheaded woman.

"Ryoko-onee-san, you're here, too?" Kokoro asked.

"That's right. I'm operating one of this food stands."

Ryoko was wearing a black yukata with red roses on it, a red obi tied around her waist, and her done into a stylish bun with black chopsticks stuck in it.

"Ryoko-san, it's been a long time." Makoto commented.

"Ryoko-chan is Rin-chan's mother." Nagisa explained to Rei.

"Makoto-kun, Nagisa-kun, it's so good to see you both again." Ryoko told them. "And you must be Ryugazaki Rei-kun." she said, turning to the blue haired young man.

"Ah, yes." Rei replied, bowing slightly. "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Matsuoka."

"You don't have to be so formal, just call me Ryoko." the redheaded woman told him. "Anyway, would you guys like anything?" she asked the group. "Whatever you want is on the house."

"Squid burgers!" Nagisa requested.

"I'm interested in trying out the squid and chips." the blue haired first year said.

"Okay, give me just a moment." Ryoko told them as she went to get their orders ready. She then quickly pulled out her phone and quickly sent a message to her son

 _To: Rin_

 _Subject:_

 _Haru-chan and everyone else are at my stall. She's wearing a yukata and looks really beautiful._

After sending the message, the redheaded woman quickly put her phone away and started to work on the two first years orders. Ginjirou, who was sitting outside the stall and being petted by Kokoro, whined as his ears perked up. He suddenly stood up and ran away. The violet haired girl watched the large canine and her eyes widened on what, or rather who, he ran to. She pulled on Nagisa and Rei's sleeves.

"What is it, Koko-chan?" the blonde first year asked.

Not saying anything, Kokoro pointed in the direction Ginjirou ran off in. The two male swimmers followed her finger.

"Rin-chan?" Nagisa said in surprise.

They saw the redheaded swimmer kneeling down in front of the brown and white dog as he petted his head when he ran up to him. Ginjirou panted happily as his tail wagged back and forth.

"Bad timing, right?" Rei questioned/whispered to the other first year and ten year old.

"Definitely..." Kokoro and Nagisa agreed.

"Is something wrong?" Makoto suddenly asked, causing the three to jump.

"Oh, we were wondering how many bowls of squid we can eat." the violet haired girl lied.

"You're going to eat that much?" the swim captain asked.

"Let's try a shooting game!" Ai said excitedly.

"Not interested." Rin replied as he walked away, Ginjirou following him.

Haru turned her head in their direction.

"Ah!" Nagisa cried out as he block her line of sight with his sleeve. "Oh! I'll go buy squid burgers for everyone!" he informed.

"How thoughtful of you, Nagisa-kun!" Rei shouted.

"Can you wait in the rest area over there?!" the blonde first year asked, pointing at said rest area.

"Uh, I don't want one." Makoto told him.

"Er, but we do..." Nagisa said, winking a couple of times at the taller boy.

The swim captain stared at him for a moment until he got the message.

"Let's go then, Haru." he said to his childhood friend. "We need to find space for all five of us."

"Okay." Haru replied in monotone as she followed him to the rest area, leaving behind the three other swimmers.

"It's possible that Rin-chan and Haru-chan will run into each other." Nagisa said when the two second years left.

"Definitely." Kokoro agreed.

"I invited Haru-chan to the festival to take her mind off swimming." the blonde first year informed.

"But it may end up having the opposite effect." Rei remarked.

"Who knows, she might ditch the relay at regionals!" the violet haired girl exclaimed, panic and worry visible on her face.

"That would be the worst case scenario." the blue haired young man said.

"I want Haru-chan to swim with us." Nagisa commented.

"I also want to swim with Haruka-senpai." Rei confessed.

"So we have to make sure that they don't meet." Kokoro declared. "I know, I'll follow Onii-chan." she said. "Rei-onii-chan, you help me." she told the male swimmer, placing her hand on his shoulder.

"What?" the blue haired young man questioned.

"You and I will tell Nagisa-onii-chan where Onii-chan is." the ten year old explained. "Then he can lead Onee-chan somewhere else!"

"Kokoro-chan, you almost seem to be enjoying this..." Rei remarked.

"Okay!" Nagisa exclaimed. "Get to it, Detective Koko-chan and Assistant Rei-chan!"

"Yes!" Kokoro yelled, pumping her fist in the air.

"Why am I her assistant?!" the blue haired first year asked.

* * *

Later

"You bought a lot of food." Makoto stated as he and Haru looked at the food spread out on the table they were sitting at. "Where are Kokoro-chan and Rei?" he asked Nagisa.

"Oh, uh..." the blonde first year tried to think of an excuse. "He ran into an acquaintance and they're walking around the festival together. And Koko-chan met up with her friends again and decided to go play some games with them." he lied.

"Oh." was the swim captain's reply.

Haru stared at him blankly, somewhat doubting his story.

"A-Anyway, let's eat." Nagisa said.

"I'll go buy drinks." the ravenette said as she stood up.

"Ah! You stay here, Haru-chan!" the short blonde yelled, stopping her. "I'll go and get them."

"I'll come with you." Makoto offered. "It might be more than you can carry by yourself." he said as he stood up.

"Wait here, Haru-chan." Nagisa told the ravenette.

Haru just stared at him, slight confusion on her face.

* * *

"So what's going on?" the olive green haired young man asked after he and the blonde first year left the ravenette at the rest area and went to get the drinks.

"Well, Rin-chan's here at the festival." Nagisa explained after getting the drinks from a vending machine.

"Rin's here?" Makoto said in surprise.

"Yeah so, Koko-chan and Rei-chan are..." the blonde swimmer paused for dramatic effect. "Following him right now!" he finished, grinning cheerfully.

"Eh?!"

* * *

Meanwhile

"Rei-onii-chan, your analysis, please." Kokoro requested, hiding behind a stall with the blue haired young man.

"Target's height is estimated to be 177 cm. Weight is estimated to be 68 kg." Rei told her.

"Not to mention, he has red hair and pointy teeth like a shark." the violet haired girl added. "Alright, commence pursuit." she ordered.

"Yes, ma'am." the male swimmer replied, pushing up his glasses.

They both got out from the stall and started their pursuit.

"Captain Mikoshiba bought cotton candy, chocolate bananas, and candy apples." Ai informed Rin, Ginjirou still following them. "I wouldn't expect him to enjoy those."

Suddenly, the redheaded swimmer turned around, a glare on his face.

"What's wrong?" the first year asked.

"No, it's nothing." Rin told him before he continued walking.

Once they were further ahead, Rei removed the mask he used to hide his face while Kokoro came out from the stall she was hiding behind.

"That was close." the violet haired girl sighed.

"Not bad." the blue haired young man said.

"That'll be five hundred yen." the man selling the mask said to Rei.

"Eh?"

* * *

Meanwhile, at the shooting stall

"Okay, I want that game console!" Nagisa declared as he tried to aim the rifle he was using at said prize. He fried. "Man, I missed." he groaned. Then he heard his phone ring. "Mako-chan, can you hold his?" he asked.

"Sure thing." the swim captain said as he took the rifle.

The blonde first year walked a few feet away from the stall and saw the message he got on his phone.

 _From: Rei-chan_

 _Subject:_

 _The target is currently walking through the stalls by the beach and heading for the main road, over._

"Roger that." Nagisa said as he sent the message.

"I need to use the restroom." Haru suddenly said in monotone.

"The closet one would be in the convenience store on the main road." Makoto told her.

The short blonde gasped.

"Got." the ravenette said as she started to walk away.

"Wait!" Nagisa cried as he grabbed her arm to stop her. "Can you hold it in a little longer?" he asked. He looked over at Makoto with a pleading look.

The swim captain soon got the message.

"Oh, there might be a restroom set up over there." he told his childhood friend. "It should be closer."

"Fine." Haru retorted.

"I'll come with you." Makoto said as he followed the young woman.

The blonde first year sighed in relief.

* * *

Later

'Nagisa and Makoto are both acting pretty weird.' Haru mentally remarked as she walked back to where her friends were after using the restroom. 'Even though she's with her friends, I hope that Kokoro is okay. Maybe I should call her.'

"Hey, black haired girl!"

The ravenette turned around and saw a man standing behind her.

"What do you want?" she asked coolly.

"You're really cute." the man complimented. "Are you by yourself? Want me to show you around?" he asked.

"No, thank you." Haru replied as she turned to leave.

"Hey, come on now." the man said as he grabbed her wrist.

"Let me go." the young woman demanded.

Suddenly, another hand grabbed the man's wrist.

"Excuse me..." Makoto started to say. "But can you please let her go?" he asked politely, an aura of protectiveness surrounding him.

The man flinched from his aura. Then he let go of Haru's wrist, turned around, and walked away.

"Are you alright, Haru?" the swim captain asked his childhood friend.

"Yeah, thanks, Makoto." the ravenette replied.

"No problem. Come on, Nagisa is waiting for us." Makoto told her as he grabbed her hand gently as dragged her along with him to where the blonde first year was.

* * *

Meanwhile

Kokoro and Rei had followed the Samezuka students outside the festival.

"There aren't any stalls here." Ai remarked.

"I know." Rin replied.

"We should go back." the first year said.

"You can go back." the redheaded swimmer told him.

Ai's steps slowed down until he came to a complete stop, watching the young man walk away with the large canine.

"Matsuoka-senpai..." was all he said.

Kokoro and Rei quietly walked past him nonchalantly and continued following the redheaded swimmer.

"You don't have to keep following me." Rin said to Ginjirou, who was walking beside him. "Go on back to Mom."

The brown and white dog just whined and rubbed his large head against his owner's leg.

"Man's best friend, huh?" the redheaded young man remarked as he rubbed the canine's head.

'Where could he be going?' Kokoro thought to herself as she and Rei were kept following the male swimmer.

* * *

Back at the festival

"It works better if you don't try as hard." Nagisa said to Makoto after he got one of the different colored balloons out of the water tank. "Just like in real life."

"Sometimes, it doesn't work unless you try hard." the olive green haired young man retorted.

Haru dipped her hook in the water and pulled it up a few moments later, four balloons hanging from the hook.

"If you want, you can have them." she said to the two boys who were watching her with admirable eyes.

"Really?!" the two boys asked in unison. "Thank you, Onee-chan!" they said appreciatively.

"We can show them off to Ta-chan and everyone else!" one of them said excitedly.

"Uh-huh!" the other one agreed.

Haru just stared them for a moment with her usual blank expression, unaware that her childhood friend was staring at her as well.

"Mako-chan, Mako-chan." Nagisa called him in a low voice. "Rin-chan's in the park in the third district." he informed.

"The park in the third district?" Makoto repeated. "That leads to..."

* * *

Meanwhile

'Why did Onii-chan come here?' Kokoro asked herself mentally when she and Rei trialed the redheaded young man and his dog to Iwatobi Elementary School.

"Isn't this your school, Kokoro-chan?" the blue haired young man asked in a whispered voice.

"Yeah..." the violet haired girl replied, nodding her head.

As he walked along the fence that surrounded the pool, Rin came to a stop when something caught his eye. It was a cherry blossom tree. He was suddenly hit with the memory of when he was younger and telling Haru and Makoto that he would transferring to Australia. He grabbed the fence post with his hand.

Then he remembered when he and the others competed in the relay tournament when they were younger. His grip on the fence tightened when he remembered when he touched the wall and the young raven haired girl dived into the water and he watched her with a look of amazement on his face.

Next, he remembered the three other male swimmers cheering her on during the medley relay. Kokoro's question on how it felt like to swim with them ran through his mind clear as day.

He looked back at the tree and remembered that he had his first kiss with Haru under it. He also thought to when the ravenette confessed that she loved him for the past four years. He gritted his teeth together and clenched his shirt tightly in his hand, right where his heart was.

'Onii-chan...' Kokoro thought as she watched him.

Letting go on the fence, Rin turned around and ran in the direction he came in, Ginjirou following close behind him.

Kokoro and Rei froze in place as the young man and his dog ran past them, not noticing that they were there.

"Onii-chan." the violet haired girl said as she suddenly chased after him.

"Wait, Kokoro-chan!" the blue haired young man called, but the little girl was already gone. "Haruka-senpai will kill me when she finds out that I let Kokoro-chan run off on her own." he said to himself, fear building up inside him when he thought about what the ravenette would do to him.

Then he heard his phone go off. He pulled out his phone and saw that he got a message.

 _From: Hazuki Nagisa_

 _To: Ryugazaki Rei_

 _Title:_

 _Where are you and Koko-chan?_

* * *

Meanwhile

 _From: Rei-chan_

 _Subject:_

 _Iwatobi Elementary School_

"Thought so..." Nagisa said to himself after reading the message.

He soon got another message.

 _From: Rei-chan_

 _Subject:_

 _But I lost sight of him... And Kokoro-chan, she went after him._

"What? This isn't good." the short blonde said to himself.

"What are you up to?" Haru suddenly asked in monotone.

Nagisa flinched. He slowly turned to the ravenette. "Did you hear that, Haru-chan?" he questioned.

"Rin is here?" the young woman asked.

"Uh-huh." the blonde swimmer nodded his head.

"I see." was all Haru said. "It's okay. Tell Kokoro and Rei to come back." she told him.

"Uh, well..." Nagisa trailed off, not looking the taller girl in the eyes. "About Koko-chan...

* * *

Meanwhile

"I lost him." Kokoro said to herself as she stopped running to catch her breath. "I have no idea where I am, either." she remarked as she looked around the area she was lost in. "Maybe I should call Onee-chan."

Just as she was about to pull out her phone, the ten year old girl heard the sound of a loud growl, which caused her whole body to stiffen. Slowly, Kokoro turned around and came face-to-face with a large dog, it's lips curled back in a snarl as it growled through it's sharp fangs.

'What should I do? What should I do? What should I do? What should I do?' was the only thing that ran through the violet haired girl's mind as she stared at the canine. "Uh, nice doggie?" was the only thing she could say, slowly backing away.

The dog suddenly barked, causing Kokoro to yelp in surprise and trip on her feet, causing her to fall down. Pushing herself into a sitting position, the ten year old saw the dog stalking towards her. Kokoro couldn't help was shake in fear. Then she screamed when the canine leapt at her, fangs bared. Suddenly, out of no where, another larger dog jumped on the other canine and bit into it's neck, the two tumbling to the side.

"Ginjirou!" Kokoro cried when she recognized the brown and white dog.

Ginjirou jumped off the stray canine and backed away from it. He barked and growled as his fur stood up on ends, making him looking larger than he already was. The other dog whimpered at the glare the larger canine was giving him. Quickly turning around, the stray dog quickly ran away. When the stray was out of sight, Ginjrou calmed down and gave a dog-like sigh of relief.

"Ginjirou, you saved me. Thank you so much!" Kokoro said appreciatively when the large canine came over to her, wrapping her arms around his neck.

The brown and white dog just bark and licked the young girl's cheek.

"But I thought you were with Onii-chan." the ten year old remarked as she pulled away from him.

"Ginjirou!"

Both girl and dog turned their heads to the source of the voice.

"Onii-chan..." was all Kokoro said.

"Kokoro..." Rin said when he reached them. "What are you doing here?" he asked.

"A stray dog tried to attack me, but Ginjirou came to my rescue." the violet haired girl explained, finally getting up from the ground.

"So that's why he was acting crazy." the redheaded young man said more to himself.

"Eh?"

"Ginjirou suddenly started barking and growling. I guess he was able to tell you were in trouble."

"Dogs are amazing!" Kokoro declared, stars in her eyes.

Ginjirou puffed his chest proudly.

"Yeah, we get it, you're a hero." Rin said to the large canine. "Now then..." he started to say, turning his attention to the ten year old. "What the hell are you going out here by yourself?" he asked.

"Uh..." was all the violet haired girl could say. "You mean this isn't the way to the festival?" she questioned, not wanting to reveal to the male swimmer that she was following him.

"You suck at lying." the young man remarked.

"Well, would you like at the time?" Kokoro said. "I better get going." just as she started to walk, she stumbled. "Ah, my shoes." she said when she looked down and saw that the strap on one of her getas had snapped apart. "It must have broke when I fell." she thought aloud. "What should I do?" she asked herself. "I can't walk with a broken shoe."

"Oi."

The ten year old looked up at Rin.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Get on my back." the redheaded swimmer ordered. "I'll carry you back to the festival." he told her.

"Eh?"

* * *

Some time later

"Onii-chan, you didn't really have to carry me." Kokoro said, riding on the young man's back.

"If I didn't, my Mom would get on to me about it when she found out." Rin retorted.

"Mama's boy." the violet haired girl snickered behind her hand.

"I will drop you." the redheaded swimmer threatened.

Ginjirou gave a dog-like laugh.

"Shut up, you traitorous mutt!" Rin yelled.

"Ne, Onii-chan..." Kokoro spoke up.

"Now what?" the young man snapped.

"I'm sorry." the ten year old apologized.

"What are you apologizing for?" Rin asked.

"For what I said and did to you back at the prefectual tournament. When I slapped you and said that I hated you." Kokoro explained.

Ginjirou's ears perked up upon hearing this and turned his head upward to look at the duo.

"When you said you were never going to swim with Onee-chan again, it made me very angry." the violet haired girl continued. "But, the fact is, I don't hate you for it."

"Is that so?" Rin questioned.

"Yeah." Kokoro replied. "Actually, the truth this..." a small smile appeared on her face as her cheeks turned pink. "I love you, Onii-chan." she whispered in his ear, kissing his cheeks soon after.

The redheaded young man's eyes widened when she said this.

"You're like the big brother I've never had, but always wanted." the ten year old added as she wrapped her arms around his neck and placed her head on his shoulder, the same smile still on her face.

"Saying something like..." was all Rin said. "Are you an idiot?" he asked.

"Onii-chan has gone into 'tsun tsun' mode." Kokoro commented.

Ginjirou barked in agreement.

"Both of you are jerks!" the young man yelled.

* * *

Back at the festival

"Rei..." Haru started to say in monotone as she looked at the shaking first year in front of her. "How could you lose Kokoro?" she asked in a cold tone of voice, making shivers go down each of the male swimmer's spines.

"I-I'm s-so s-sorry!" Rei apologized fearfully.

"If a single hair on her head is harmed in any way, I'm going to make you wish you were never born." the ravenette threatened, her face was expressionless but one could see the angry look in her eyes. "Understood?"

"Y-Yes, ma'am!" the blue haired first immediately replied.

"H-Haru, take it easy." Makoto said to his childhood friend, trying to calm her down.

"Shut up." Haru ordered in monotone.

"Yes, ma'am..." the green haired said quietly.

"Onee-chan!"

Everyone turned to the source of the childish voice.

"It's Koko-chan!" Nagisa stated when they saw the little girl running towards them.

"My life has been spared." Rei breathed a sigh of relief.

"Kokoro, where have you been?" Haru asked when her cousin reached her and hugged her. "I was worried about you."

"I'm sorry." Kokoro apologized sincerely. "I got lost after I followed Onii-chan."

"You're not hurt, are you?" the ravenette asked, turning the young girl's face left and right.

"No, I'm fine." the violet haired girl reassured her.

Haru sighed in relief.

"But I was attacked by a stray dog." Kokoro added.

"Rei..." was the only thing the female swimmer said as she grabbed the blue haired young man's collar, a dark aura surrounding her. "If you didn't lose her, then that wouldn't have happened." she told him.

"I'm sorry!" Rei wailed in fear. "It's all my fault!"

"Onee-chan, please calm down!" the ten year old begged. "I'm okay. Ginjirou saved me before the dog could do anything. Also, Onii-chan brought me back here."

"Rin?" Haru questioned as she let go of the blue haired young man.

"Yes. And please don't blame Rei-onii-chan. I'm the one who ran off on my own. So if you should be mad at anyone, it should be me." Kokoro stated.

"Kokoro-chan..." was all Rei said, touched that the young girl was defending him.

The ravenette sighed. "You're too nice sometimes, you know that?" she said, rubbing her cousin's head.

The ten year old just giggled and smiled widely.

* * *

Later

"Here." Makoto said as he handed his childhood friend a drink.

"Thanks." Haru said in monotone as she took the drink.

The two swimmers leaned against the railing on the hill they had climbed and gazed down at the festival that was still in progress.

"Haru..." the swim captain spoke up.

"Yes?" the young woman questioned.

"You..." Makoto started to say. "Love Rin, don't you?" he asked.

Haru was slightly taken aback from the question. "Y-Yes..." she admitted hesitantly.

The olive green haired young man turned to her, grabbing her shoulders. "Am I not good enough?" he asked, gently squeezing her shoulders.

"What do you mean, Makoto?" the ravenette asked, not getting what he meant.

Makoto didn't reply. Instead he leaned closer to her face. Haru blinked in surprise when his face was inches from hers, their lips mere centimeters apart.

"Makoto?" the young woman questioned.

A small smile appeared on the swim captain's lips. He pulled away from her a bit then placed his lips on her forehead.

"What was that for?" Haru asked, placing her hand on the spot he kissed on her forehead when he pulled away from her.

"Nothing." Makoto replied. "You're just so cute, Haru." he told her.

"The hell?" the ravenette asked, looking at him weirdly.

"You know..." was swim captain started to say, ignoring her look. "We didn't get to prepare for that relay, so I was a bit frantic." he told her. "Swimming as hard as I could so the next person could go... But in the process, I remembered what we saw that day. I was happy to swim in a relay with you, with everyone."

A look of shock appeared on Haru's face. "I'm..." she started to say. "Not so sure anymore." she admitted, turning away from him.

"Huh?" Makoto questioned.

"I don't need a reason to swim." the young woman continued. "I just need to feel the water. At least, that's what I've always believed. But... When I lost to him, everything became dark." she remembered the day of the prefectuals when Rin told her that he would never swim with her again. "I won't get to swim with Rin again." she said, her eyes becoming slightly downcast.

The olive green haired young man gave a small gasp when he heard her say this.

"I didn't care about anything at that point." Haru remarked. "Not the tournament or anything else." she clenched her drink tightly in her hands. "But then I watched you guys swim. I thought, 'I trained hard with these guys'. I might end up being nothing more than filler. But if you guys really wanted to swim in a relay, I would swim. That was when I remembered how it felt to swim in the same lane together, how it felt when everyone was waiting at the finish line." she tightly clenched her yukata, right where her heart was. She turned to her childhood friend. "It made me just as happy!" she confessed.

"Haru!" was all Makoto could say, smiling widely.

"Haru-chan!"

The two turned their heads and saw Kokoro, Nagisa, and Rei standing a few feet away from them.

"Did you really mean that?" the blonde first year asked.

"When did you guys get here?" Makoto questioned.

"We were here the entire time." the violet haired girl replied.

"You have your answer, Haruka-senpai." Rei remarked.

"Kokoro. Nagisa. Rei. Makoto."

The fours swimmers turned to the ravenette.

"I want to swim in the relay." Haru told them. "I want to swim with you guys! Again!" she declared.

"Onee-chan is finally saying what she feels!" Kokoro exclaimed happily.

Everyone else looked at each other, then back at the young woman.

"Okay!" they all said in unison.

"That means we have to start training hard tomorrow to make nationals!" Nagisa yelled excitedly.

"I'm getting fired up." Rei said.

"We should head home so we're ready for tomorrow." Makoto told them.

"No, one last thing..." Haru spoke up, a rare smile on her face.

* * *

Later

"I'm impressed, Haruka-senpai." Rei said.

"Onee-chan has many skills." Kokoro commented.

"Can I really have these?" Makoto asked, holding the bag of the five goldfish his childhood friend had won.

"Yeah." Haru told him, the same smile still on her face.

"You're the only one who's likely to take of them." Nagisa remarked.

"I'll take good care of them." the olive green haired young man promised.

"You should name them, too." the violet haired girl said.

"Name them?" Makoto repeated.

"Just go with Nagisa, Rei, Haruka, Kokoro, and Makoto." the blonde first year told him.

"I don't know about that." the swim captain said.

"Mackerel, Bonito, Tuna, Jackfish, Minnow." Haru suggested.

"What?" Makoto questioned.

"Names aside, check out what I took a picture of." Kokoro said, showing the others her phone. On her phone was a picture of her older cousin smiling. "Since it's rare that Onee-chan smiles, I figured I get a picture of it when I got the chance."

"Delete that picture immediately." the young woman ordered, her face going back to her usual expressionless look.

"Nope." the ten year old girl replied, grinning widely.

"Kokoro..." Haru said in a warning tone as she reached for the phone.

"Nagisa-onii-chan!" Kokoro yelled as she tossed to the blonde first year, who caught it.

"Nagisa." the ravenette said as she turned to the shorter boy.

"Rei-chan!" Nagisa shouted as threw the phone to the other first year.

"You have such a beautiful smile, Haruka-senpai." Rei complimented after he caught the device and looked at the picture, soon handing it to the swim captain.

"Give it to me, Makoto." Haru demanded as she stood up on her toes to get the device.

"No way." the olive green haired young man said, chuckling, as he held the phone above his head.

* * *

Meanwhile, at the train station

"You can go back now." Rin told Ginjirou. "I'll be fine on my own now."

The large canine whined as he rubbed his head against the young man's hand, licking it soon after.

"Be a good boy and go back before Mom starts to worry." the redheaded swimmer ordered, rubbing the dog's head.

Ginjirou barked before he turned around and making his way back to where Ryoko was. Rin stayed where he was as he watched the large dog leave, turning to walk into the station when the canine was out of sight.

"Matsuoka, where have you been?" Seijirou asked when he saw the redheaded swimmer.

"The train's about to arrive." Ai told him.

"Captain, we need to talk." Rin said the swim captain, a serious expression on his face.

"Eh?"

* * *

The next day, at Iwatobi High School at the pool

"Big news!" Gou yelled as she ran towards the pool.

The five swimmers looked at her.

"My Onii-chan's swimming in the relay at regionals!" the redheaded manger informed.

"What?!" Kokoro, Makoto, Nagisa, and Rei all exclaimed in shock.

Haru just stood where she was with a shocked look on her face.

 _To be continued..._

* * *

 **Omake Seven**

 _Four years ago_

"Why did you want to come to my house again, Haru?" Rin asked the raven haired girl.

"You've already been to my house, so now I wanna see yours." Haru told him. "This makes us even."

"What do you mean by even?" the redheaded boy asked.

The two kept walking until they stopped in front of a two-story house.

"Well, this is my home." Rin said.

"Hm." Haru looked up at the house with her usual expressionless face. "It looks bigger than I originally thought." she remarked in monotone.

The young swimmers walked through the front down, taking off their shoes at the entrance way.

"Mom, I'm home!" Rin announced. "And I brought a friend."

"I'm in the kitchen!" a woman's voice called out.

Walking into the kitchen, the two saw a tall, beautiful woman with long, waist-length red hair with split bangs that reached to her chest and orange eyes.

"Hi, honey." Ryoko greeted her son. "How was practice today?" she asked.

"It was good." Rin told her. "I almost beat my personal best." he said, grinning.

The redheaded woman smiled as she rubbed the young boy's head. "That's my little shark." she remarked and kissed his head. She looked over and saw a very cute girl with short, chin-length raven black hair and ocean blue eyes. "Hello there." she said greeted with a warm and kind smile.

Haru was taken back by her smile. "H-Hello..." she said back softly, a light red hue on her face.

"Who's your friend, Rin?" Ryoko asked her son as she looked at him.

"This is Haru, she's in the swim club with me." Rin explained.

"Haru?" the thirty-three year old woman repeated the name. "You mean that person you're always going on about, and saying how good she is at swimming?" she questioned.

"Mom..." the redheaded said as his face started to turn red.

"Oh." Ryoko said, grinning mischievously as she understood why her son was getting embarrassed. She turned to the raven haired girl. "It's nice to meet you, Haru-chan. My name is Ryoko."

"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Matsuoka." Haru said.

"You don't have to be so formal, just call me Ryoko." the redheaded woman told her.

"Okay, Ryoko..." the thirteen year old said.

"Ne, Haru-chan..." Ryoko started to say. "Would you be, by any chance, Rin's girlfriend?" she asked.

"No, she's not!" Rin immediately yelled. "She's just a girl who's a friend and a teammate, that's all!"

"Mmhm, whatever you say, sweetie." the redheaded woman retorted with a knowing look on her face. "Just so you know, I was your age when I got interested in people of the opposite gender." she told him while nodding her head.

"Mom!" the young boy whined, his face as red as his hair.

Haru just stood there and watched the mother and son pair.

'Is this how a mother and her child normally interact with each other?' she thought to herself.

"Mom, me and Haru are going to go up to my room." Rin told his mother.

"Okay, have fun, you two." Ryoko said, smiling, as the two young swimmers climbed up the stairs.

* * *

"Your room is much more nicer than I thought." Haru commented when they reached the young boy's room.

"Just what did you expect to find when you came over here?" Rin asked.

The raven girl ignored him. Instead, she went to sit in chair that was in the room. "Your mother is very nice." she remarked. "You two are a lot alike, it's very sweet."

The redheaded swimmer sat on his bed and smiled. "Yeah, she's the best. A little embarrassing sometimes, but she's really nice." he declared.

Suddenly, there was a small, sort of high-pitched bark. The two thirteen year olds looked down and saw a cute, little puppy coming out from under the bed.

The puppy had brown and white fur, the top part of his body was brown while the rest of his lower body and face were white, and black eyes, small patches of brown fur were under both of his eyes.

"Who's that?" Haru asked.

"This is Ginjirou, he's our dog." Rin told her as he picked up the small canine and placed him in his lap. "Mom got him last week."

The raven haired girl stared at the puppy with her usual blank stare. "What kind of name is Ginjirou?" she questioned.

"Mom named him that because she thought it was cute." the redheaded boy explained.

Ginjirou jumped off his lap and went over to Haru. He barked as he placed his two front paws on her leg, his tongue lolling out as his tail wagged back and forth. The female swimmer picked up the puppy and placed him in her lap. She looked at his cute face.

"Well..." she stared to say. "He certainly looks very cute." she remarked as she petted the small canine, her cheeks slightly turning red.

"Isn't he?" Rin said.

"And he's so fluffy." Haru added, giving a small smile to the puppy.

'So she loves cute and fluffy animals as much as she loves those stuffed animals she has.' the redheaded boy thought as he watched the girl and puppy.

* * *

Sometime later

Ryoko peeked into her son's room, a tray on her hands. What she saw was the two young swimmers playing with the brown and white puppy.

'Aw~' she mentally gushed. 'They are so cute together. I hope they actually end up dating.' she knocked on the door with the back of her fist. "Yo." she said as she walked into the room. "I thought you guys might be hungry, so I made you some snacks." she told them as she set down the tray.

On one plate was a mackerel burger, while there was a hamburger steak on the other.

"Awesome! Thanks, Mom!" Rin said to his mother in sheer appreciation, nearby drooling at the sight of the meat in front of him.

"Thank you very much." Haru said as she bowed her head out of respect for Ryoko's kindness.

"It's no problem." the redheaded woman replied. "I hope you both enjoy them. Call me if you need anything."

"Okay." the two young swimmers said as Ryoko walked out of the room. They clasped their hands together at the same time. "Itadakimasu ('Thanks for the meal' in Japanese.) !" they said in unison.

"It's very good." Haru complimented after taking a bite of her mackerel burger.

"Yeah, Mom is a chef at a cafe she owns." Rin explained. "Whatever she makes is delicious."

"Onii-chan?"

The thirteen year olds turned their heads towards the door and saw a little girl, who looked a year younger than them, with red hair, in a small ponytail held by a light blue bow, and red eyes.

"Oh, Gou." the redheaded boy said. "You're back from your friend's house already?" he asked.

Gou nodded her head. "Mom told me you had a friend over today." she remarked as she walked into the room.

"Yeah." Rin replied. "You remember Haru, don't you?" he questioned, gesturing to the raven haired girl.

"Yes." the young girl said. She turned to the older girl. "It's nice to meet you again, Nanase." she said politely, bowing slightly.

"You can call me Haru, Gou." Haru told her.

"Oh, okay, Haru..." Gou said softly, blushing a little. She stared at the female swimmer. "You know, you're a lot prettier than Onii-chan said you were." she commented.

"Gou!" Rin yelled, his face turning as red as his hair.

"But you did say that." the young girl insisted. "And you also said she was very cute."

"Shut up already!" the redheaded boy exclaimed, the blush on his face going a darker shade of red.

"You know, Gou, you remind me a bit of my cousin, Kokoro." Haru remarked.

"I do?" Gou asked.

"Yeah. You're both very cute." the raven haired girl said, smiling a little at the younger girl.

The redheaded girl's cheeks turned red from the female swimmer's smile and compliment.

"Onii-chan, please make Haru my Onee-chan!" she begged as she hugged the older girl around her neck.

"Seriously, Gou?!" Rin yelled.

"I wouldn't mind having Haru-chan as my daughter-in-law." Ryoko, who just arrived and heard the entire conversation, remarked.

"Not you, too, Mom!" the young swimmer exclaimed.

Ginjirou barked a few times before he climbed onto Haru's lap.

"Even you, Ginjirou?!" Rin shouted in disbelief.

* * *

Later into the evening

"I'm sorry about my family." the redheaded swimmer apologized as he walked out of his house with his teammate.

"It's alright." Haru told him. "I had a good time. It was nice meeting your mother and Ginjirou. And seeing your sister again."

"Yeah, they all really like you." Rin commented. "Mom said that you're welcome here anytime. You should try to bring Kokoro with you next time, I'm sure she would love to meet Ginjirou."

"I agree. I'll try the next time she comes over." the raven haired girl said. "Thanks for letting me come to your house."

"You're welcome. I hope you can come back over soon."

"Yeah." Haru said. "I hope so, too." she told him, a small smile appearing on her face.

Rin's face turned as red as his hair from her smile.

"Why's your face so red?" the young girl asked, her face going back to being expressionless.

"I-It's hot out here, that's all!" the redheaded boy exclaimed.

 **FIN**

* * *

 **Finally done. Third longest chapter ever. I hope you all enjoy it. I got Toka Todo from the anime and manga Rakudai Kishi no Cavalry. Please give me reviews, telling me what you thought about. Until next chapter. P.S. Merry Christmas!**


	10. Irritated Heart Rate!

**Time for chapter ten. I hope you all enjoy it. Disclaimer: I own nothing. P.S. Only to more chapter left for the story.**

* * *

Chapter Ten: Irritated Heart Rate!

* * *

 _Four years ago, at Iwatobi Elementary School_

"Hello, everyone. My name is Matsuoka Rin. I previously went to Sano Elementary School. I have a girly name, but I'm a boy. Looking forward to being in class with you!"

Everyone in the class stared at the redheaded young boy after he introduced himself. Looks of surprise appeared on a certain raven haired girl and olive green haired boy.

* * *

"Wow, this tree is huge!" Rin exclaimed as he looked up at the large tree outside the school. "Is it a cherry blossom tree?" he asked.

"It is." Makoto replied, Haru standing beside him.

"So come spring, there'll be a whole bunch of blossoms falling down into the pool." the redheaded boy remarked as he turned his attention to the pool that was behind of the gate. "I wanna try swimming in a pool of cherry blossoms."

"The water will be too cold." the olive green haired boy told him. "You should wait until summer to go swimming."

"I was just joking around." Rin said. "You don't have to be so serious."

"I have a question for you." Haru finally spoke up, her face expressionless.

"Oh? What's up? Looking to ask out the transfer the student on his first day?" the redheaded boy questioned teasingly.

"Don't be so full of yourself." the raven haired girl retorted in monotone.

"I believe we've been in the same tournaments before." Makoto said.

"Oh, you remembered me?" Rin asked, a slight look of relief on his face.

Haru didn't say anything as she just stared at him, her eyebrows furrowed slightly into a small scowl.

"What's with that scary look?" the redheaded student questioned. "I just happened to end up at this school when I moved. Coincidences are weird, huh?" he said as he rubbed the back of his head.

The raven haired girl just continued to stare at him.

* * *

At Iwatobi Swim Club building

"My name is Matsuoka Rin." Rin introduced himself. I previously belonged to the Sano Swimming Club. I have a girly name, but I'm a boy."

Makoto had a look of slight look of surprise and shock on his face while Haru just stared at him blankly.

* * *

"Coincidence after coincidence, huh?" the redheaded boy said. "I transferred to you school and even ended up in the same swimming club."

"Yeah, this is a surprise." Makoto agreed. "Right, Haru?" he asked as he looked at the girl on the starting block.

Haru ignored him and jumped into the water. Rin stood where he was and watched the raven haired girl swim through the water with the speed and grace of a dolphin.

'She's really something!' he thought, grinning in excitement.

He got onto the starting block and pulled the swimming goggles he had over his eyes. After snapping the back of them, he got into position. Then he jumped into the water, wanting to catch up with the female swimmer.

* * *

After practice

"Man, that was a good swim!" Rin, arms behind his back, remarked.

"Matsuoka-kun." Makoto called. "The bicycle racks are this way." he told the other boy.

"Oh, I'm running him." the redheaded boy informed.

"Running?" the olive green haired boy repeated. "How many kilometers is it to your home?" he asked.

"Around three kilometers, I think." Rin replied. Then he grinned and waved his hand. "See ya!" he said before he began running home.

Haru watched him leave with a small scowl on her face.

* * *

A couple of days later

"Each team must decide the kind of garden you will make and the kinds of flowers you will plant, and draw an illustration." the teacher instructed.

"Okay!" the students replied.

"Hey, Nanase. Did you reconsider?" Rin, who was in a group with Haru and Makoto, asked the female swimmer.

"Reconsider what?" Haru questioned in monotone, not turning her head up from her notebook to look at him.

"Swimming in the medley relay." the redheaded young said. "You interested in teaming up for the not tournament?" he asked.

"I told you that I only swim free." Haru told him, still not looking at him.

"You sure are stubborn, Nanase." Rin remarked. "Fine, you can swim free. That means Tachibana has to swim breast or back. So we'll need one more person for..."

"I said that I only swim free, so don't include me in your relay." the raven haired girl said firmly.

"I said you can do free!" the young male swimmer shouted.

Everyone in the class looked over at them.

"Uh..." was all Rin could say when he noticed everyone's stares. "Free... I mean..." he tried to think of an excuse for his outburst. "I'm saying we should all write our own messages on the bricks around the garden. We should do our way. Be free!"

"That's a great idea." one of the students said.

"It is." another one agreed.

Everyone then clapped for the redhead's idea.

* * *

"Where are you going, Haru?" Makoto asked the raven haired girl as he walked out of the Iwatobi Swim Club building with her and a younger blonde boy.

"I'm running home." Haru replied in monotone.

"That's so cool, Nanase-chan!" Nagisa exclaimed. "Hey, can I run with you?" he asked.

"If you can keep up." the female swimmer said coolly before she began running home, the young blonde following her.

"Wait, Haru. Your bicycle..." Makoto trailed off as his friend ran away.

* * *

The next day, at Iwatobi Swim Club

"Hey, Matsuoka-kun. Are you swimming in a relay with Nanase-chan and Tachibana-kun" Nagisa asked the older boy.

"That's the plan." Rin replied. "I'm still waiting for a response though."

"Let me join, then!" the blonde boy said.

"No way. We're serious about this." the redheaded swimmer told him.

"I'm serious, too. I'm really fast." Nagisa stated. "So please? Pretty please?" he pleaded, grabbing the older boy's arm.

Rin chuckled. "Fine then." he said. "You can join if you place first in the next breaststroke time trial."

"Really?! Did you hear that, Nanase-chan?" the young blonde swimmer asked excitedly as he looked over at the raven haired girl. "I'm going to work really hard!" he declared.

"Practice is about to start." Haru told him in monotone, her face expressionless.

"Okay! Wait for me!"

* * *

Evening time

"Hey, why is Nanase so obsessed with free?" Rin asked Makoto, sitting on the steps that lead up to the old shrine that was in the area. "She always says she'll only swim free."

"I don't think it's because Haru likes to swim free." the olive green haired boy told him.

"Why does she say that, then?" the redheaded boy questioned.

"I've never asked her, but I think that being in water feels the most natural to Haru." Makoto remarked. "So she wanted to swim free."

"I don't get it." Rin said as he stood up. "Is there a way to get Nanase to swim in the relay?" he asked, more to himself.

"And why are you so obsessed with swimming in a relay?" the other swimmer asked.

"Me?" the redheaded boy questioned. "I..." he started to say. "Well, I have my reasons." he replied.

* * *

A few days later, at Iwatobi Elementary School

"I won't be attending middle school here."

Haru and Makoto looked at Rin with confused looks.

"I'm going to Australia." the redheaded swimmer told them. "I'm going to a swimming school."

The raven haired girl's face turned back to being expressionless as she turned her gaze down to the words that were written on the bricks that surrounded the garden that was outside the school. Words like 'Free', which is what she wrote, and 'For the team', which was the redheaded swimmer's words, where written on there.

"What are you trying to do?" she asked in a low voice.

"I'm going to become an Olympic swimmer." Rin replied, grinning.

Haru's eyebrows furrowed into a frown.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Makoto asked. "What about the relay?"

"I'll swim in the relay." the redheaded young boy told him. "I'm leaving the day after the tournament." he informed as he began to walk away. "So this will be the last time the four of us swim together."

"I only swim freestyle." Haru stated.

"That's why you have to swim in the relay." Rin said as he stopped walking. "this is our last chance." he turned around to face her. "Let's swim together, Nanase."

The raven haired girl didn't look up from where she was staring.

"If you swim with me..."

Haru finally turned her head to look at the other swimmer.

* * *

 _Present Day, at nighttime_

"I'll show you a sight you've never seen before." Rin said to himself as he sat on his bed in his dorm room.

* * *

At Iwatobi High School, in the afternoon

"Nagisa, you're bending your knees too much." Sasabe said when the blonde first year jumped into the water. "You don't need such a powerful jump for a relay dive. Makoto, your form is terrible! You're not using your shoulders!"

"I'm glad that Goro-chan agreed to coach us, but his training regimen is tough." Nagisa remarked as he climbed out of the pool.

"That's why everyone called him Goro the Demon." Makoto commented as he got out of the pool, too.

"Rei, if you can't coast into the wall, throw in one more kick! Not like that!" the old swim coach yelled at the blue haired first year. "Haruka, watch your time as you fall in! No! You have to watch Rei more closely!"

'I'm starting to be glad that Coach Sasabe didn't let me in on this training.' Kokoro thought to herself as she watched everyone.

"You guys don't know what you're doing." Sasabe said to the swim club members. He sighed. "You leave me no other choice."

A little bit later

"Where did you get that camera?" Kokoro asked, staring that the video camera the old swim coach had brought to the pool.

When Haru jumped into the water, Gou rolled the camera alongside the pool and filmed the second year girl swimming.

After that

"I see." the redheaded manger said as everyone watched three TV screens, all showing different angels, that showed the ravenette swimming. "This lets them check their form from multiple angles."

Haru turned around and went back over to the started block.

"Haru-chan's being very proactive." Nagisa commented.

The ravenette jumped into the water and started to swim.

"Yes, that's it!" Sasabe shouted.

"What is it, Koko-chan?" the blonde first year asked the ten year old, who had a strange look on her face.

"Her form may be perfect now, but this isn't the way I like to see Onee-chan swim." Kokoro remarked.

"I agree." Rei said. "It was more beautiful before."

* * *

Some time later

"Yeah, this place brings back memories." Sasabe remarked as he looked inside the club's locker room. "The locker room hasn't changed one bit." he turned to one of the lockers and opened it. "Oh, my message is still here. Forever Iwatobi!"

"Coach Sasabe, you spelled it wrong." Kokoro told him.

"I'm not that picky!" the old swimmer coach retorted as he closed the locker.

"It doesn't affect his ability to coach." Haru commented in monotone.

"That's true." Nagisa agreed. "Goro-chan's helped us improve our exchanges."

"Let's keep up the hard work, so we can face Rin again at the relay." Makoto said.

"Yeah, that's the spirit!" Sasabe shouted. "Then it's time for me to get serious!"

"What?!" the blonde first year exclaimed.

"I'll work you hard! Very hard!" the old swimming coach stated.

"Onee-chan..." Kokoro spoke up quietly as she tugged on her cousin's arm, pointing towards the door.

Haru looked where the little girl was pointing and saw a certain blue haired first year leave the locker room.

* * *

Later that evening

"What's wrong, Rei-chan?" Nagisa asked the other swimmer as they rode the train home.

"I don't understand." Rei replied.

"Don't understand what?"

"Gou-san's brother. Why did he suddenly decide to swim the relay?"

"I'm not entirely sure, but racing Rin-chan again has gotten Haru-chan motivated, so it's a good thing, right?" Nagisa told him.

"What if she loses?" Rei questioned.

"Wining isn't everything." the blonde first year retorted.

"You and Kokoro-chan made me run around the summer festival to make sure they didn't meet up." the blue haired young man said.

"Detective Koko-chan and Assistant Rei-chan did a great job." Nagisa complimented.

"Again, why was I her assistant?" Rei asked. He then sighed. "Nevermind. Anyway, why does it matter who's swimming in the relay? Our goal is to make it to the nationals as the Iwatobi Swim Club."

"I know." the shortest of the two said.

"But everybody keeps talking about Rin-chan. I don't understand." the blue haired first year remarked, saying it more to himself.

* * *

The next day, at the Sasabe residence

"Why are we having a hot pot in the middle of summer?" Kokoro questioned, sweating along with the rest of the swim club and the student council president, who they had invited along, from the heat.

"Because that's what sports medicine recommends to swimmers." Sasabe explained. "This is my special Sasabe Hot Pot, with plenty of protein and minerals."

"Can you at least turn on the air conditioning?" Nagisa asked.

"No such thing." the old swim coach told him.

"This fan we're using is hardly doing anything!" the violet haired girl exclaimed.

"We should be thankful that there is even a fan." Toka remarked, fanning her with her hand.

"Can we not do this?" Rei asked.

"Why would you say that? I promise that it's good, so dig in." Sasabe stated as he handed a bowl of hot pot to the blue haired first year.

"Wow, it's really good!" Ms. Amakata said after taking a bite.

"See? We came up with this when I was in the swim club." the old swimsuit informed.

"That's right, you're a former Iwatobi Swim Club member, aren't you, Sasabe-san?" the student council president asked.

"Does that mean you're not young anymore?" Kokoro questioned.

"It's rude to ask someone their age." Sasabe scolded, leaning over the table to flick the ten year old on her forehead. "And I was the last club member." he said to Ms. Amakata. "We couldn't find any new members so it was abolished after I graduated."

"We brought the swim club back, so you should have been coaching us earlier." Nagisa remarked, taking a piece of hot pot from the other first year while he was busy rubbing the steam off of his glasses.

"I was too busy with my pizza delivery job." the old swim coach replied.

"Isn't that a job for young people?" Kokoro asked.

"You need to learn to think before you speak!" Sasabe yelled.

The violet haired girl jumped back from his yell, her back hitting a nearby table and causing the magazines that were on it to fall to the floor.

"Are you okay, Kokoro?" Haru asked.

"I'm fine." the ten year old replied. "I seemed to have made a mess." she said, looking down at the magazines that were laying on the floor.

"What are these?" Makoto questioned.

"Really old magazines?" the ravenette questioned in monotone.

"I'm sorry, Coach Sasabe." Kokoro apologized.

"It's okay. I'll clean it up." Sasabe told her as he came over and started to pick up the magazines, with the help of Ms. Amakata.

"Coach Sasabe, are you the type of person who doesn't like to throw this stuff away?" Makoto asked.

"I am not surprised by this at all." Kokoro remarked as she flipped through on of the magazines. "So many women in swimsuits..." she said more to herself.

"Kokoro-chan, you shouldn't be looking at stuff like that." Rei told her.

The violet haired girl ignored him as she continued to look at the pictures. Then she stopped when one photo caught her eyes. It was a picture of a very pretty young woman with short, brown hair and brown eyes, wearing a white, one-piece swimsuit. She looked over at the lady teacher.

"Ama-chan-sensei." Kokoro called.

"What it is, Kokoro-chan?" Ms. Amakata asked.

"This picture..." the ten year old started to say, showing the picture to the club's advisor. "The model in it called Marin-chan looks a lot li-"

"The crab's on fire!" the lady teacher cut off the young girl as she pointed at the hot pot, which wasn't burning. While everyone was distracted, she snatched the magazine out of Kokoro's hands.

* * *

Later into the evening

"I love Senko Hanabi Sparkles." the violet haired remarked, holding said firework in her hand as she watched it lit up.

"It's very pretty." Gou commented.

"It's lit! Look, Rei-chan!" Nagisa called.

"Don't point that at me!" Rei yelled.

"You shouldn't run with that, Nagisa-kun!" Toka scolded.

"I haven't done fireworks in long time." Haru said, sitting on the porch with her childhood friend.

"Me neither." Makoro agreed.

"I-I was told that your previous job involved swimsuits, but I never thought..." Sasabe trailed off, sitting inside with the lady teacher and eating slices of watermelons. "No wonder you looked so familiar. I-I was a big fan, Marin-cha-" he stopped when he saw the ex. swimsuit model break the watermelon slice she had in two.

"Not any word on the subject." Ms. Amakata ordered. "I'm sure you understand." she said, smiling a bit too sweetly at the old swim coach.

"Y-Yes..."

"Look what I found!" Kokoro suddenly shouted, holding a blue photo album in her hands.

"Oi, don't snoop around someone else's belongings!" Sasabe scolded.

"What did you find, Kokoro-chan?" Gou asked.

"It's a photo album of the swimming club." the violet haired girl informed.

"Oh!" everyone, except Haru, turned their heads with interested looks on their faces.

"This brings back memories!" Nagisa remarked as the swim club looked at the pictures in the album. "There's Gou-chan and Koko-chan!" he said as he pointed to a photo that showed the two girls when they were younger and clinging onto to the arms of their respective relatives. "This is when we had a barbecue behind the club." he informed as he pointed to another picture.

"What? Nobody told me about that." Gou said.

"This was before Rin-chan transferred and joined the club." the blonde first year told her.

"Nanase-san looks so mature even then." Ms. Amakata commented when she saw the the younger ravenette in the photo, a blank expression on her face.

"You're suppose to smile for pictures." Sasabe said.

"Onee-chan is always smiling on the inside." Kokoro remarked.

"Oh, this is from the summer tournament when we were in fifth grade." Makoto said when he saw another picture.

"Haru-chan won then, too, didn't she?" Toka questioned when she saw the raven haired girl holding a first place award in the photo.

The violet haired girl looked closely at the picture. "Isn't that Onii-chan?" she asked as she pointed at the redheaded boy that was in the back of the picture.

"We didn't know Rin at that time." Haru told her in monotone.

"Wow! We met before we got to know each other!" the blonde first year exclaimed in amazement.

"Connected by the red string of fate." Ms. Amakata remarked.

"Oh, this is when Rin starts showing up." Sasabe said.

"This is when he transferred." Makoto stated when he looked at another picture.

"It snowed hard that day and we all made snowmen." Nagisa remarked.

"Even back then, Onii-chan was very competitive." Kokoro commented when she saw that redheaded boy had made a shark out of snow, wanting to beat the raven haired girl's snow dolphin.

"This was when you were training for the tournament." Sasabe said. "Rin was really fired up."

"That's so my Onii-chan." Gou stated, giggling.

The two cousins looked over at a certain blue haired first year and stared at him.

* * *

Later, at night

"That was fun!" Nagisa declared as he and the other four swimmers walked home, the club's manager and the student council president had ridden home with the advisor. "We should drop by again!"

"That hot pot was too hot, though." Kokoro remarked.

"But it was good." the blonde first year retorted.

"Hey, Rei..." Makoto started to say, but stopped when he saw that blue haired young man had stopped walking. "What's wrong, Rei?" he asked.

"Just what happened between the four of you?" Rei sudden asked.

"The four of us?" Nagisa questioned. "Are you talking about Rin-chan?"

"You were all so close in those pictures." the blue haired swimmer stated. "You all looked so happy."

"Well..." was all the swim captain could say.

"Rei." Haru spoke up. "I don't know if there's any point in talking about this now." she told him. "But if you're really interested, I can tell you what happened."

"Please tell me." Rei requested. "I'm tired of being the only one on the outside!"

"Rei-onii-chan..." was the only thing Kokoro said.

"I'm part of this team, too!" the blue haired young man stated.

"Rei-chan..."

The ravenette stared at the taller swimmer with her usual emotionless expression. "Okay." she finally said, a small smile appearing on her face. "Rin was obsessed with relays from the moment he joined our club." she explained to him."He didn't tell us why until right before the final."

* * *

 _Flashback, four years ago_

"It's finally time for the final." Rin said, standing in the locker rooms with the other. "Thanks for doing this for me, guys."

"We're not doing it for you." Makoto told him. "We're here because we want to be here."

"Of course." the redheaded young boy replied. He quickly thought something over. "I wasn't sure if I should tell you guys this, but win or lose, the next race will be our last. So I'll talk. My dad was one of the first members of the Iwatobi swimming club. When he was in sixth grade, he part of a winning medley relay. His dream was to be an Olympic swimmer. But he ended up becoming a fisherman and died in an accident. I've decided to go to Australia. But I thought, if I could join my dad's swimming club first and win the relay, I might be able to share his dream. I don't know who was on his team, but I'm sure they were the best team around. I hope that we can also become the best! I know I'm being selfish, but I want us to be the best team around!"

 _End Flashback_

* * *

Present Day

"We won the medley relay, and Rin went to Australia." Haru told everyone, now standing on the beach with them. "Rim said that he would show me a sight I'd never seen before. And after we had won the relay, it felt like I really did see it."

"I also felt like I saw something completely new." Nagisa remarked.

"Yep, same here." Makoto agreed.

"So if you swam together in the relay and won, why is your relationship so different now?" Rei asked.

For a while, no one said anything. Then the female swimmer broke the silence

"During the winter break of my first year of middle school, I ran into Rin while he was visiting home." she said.

* * *

 _Flashback, three years ago_

Haru yawned as she waited for the oncoming train to pass. Then she noticed someone come up on the other side. Her eyes widened when she saw who it was.

"Rin..." was all she was able to say.

"Haru..." the redheaded boy said when he saw her standing there.

Suddenly, the oncoming train flew past them. As soon as the train when by and the rails went up, the raven haired girl rushed over to the young swimmer.

"You're back?" she asked when she reached him.

"Yeah." Rin replied.

"You could have called." Haru said as she turned her gaze away from him.

"Well, I thought it would be a little embarrassing." the redheaded boy told her. "How are you doing?" he asked her. "Still swimming."

The female swimmer immediately perked up upon hearing his question, a smile appearing on her face. "Yeah, I joined the swim club at our middle school." she informed. "Makoto joined, too." she added. "The school has a pretty big pool."

"Hey, Haru."

"What is it?"

"Let's swim together again..." Rin said, a small smile on his face. "To see who's faster."

Haru's smile disappeared when she saw an unreadable look in the male swimmer's eyes.

* * *

Later, at Iwatobi Swim Club

"Oh, it's Rin." Sasabe said when he saw the redheaded boy and the raven haired girl. "You're back?"

"Yeah." Rin replied. "Hey, we wanna do some swimming." he told the swim coach.

"Sure, it's reserved to us right now anyway."

* * *

Later, inside the building

Rin stepped out of the locker rooms and saw that Haru was already outside, waiting for him. He stared at her, glancing down her body.

'Wow, Haru really grew out.' he thought, blushing as he stared at her still developing chest.

"Why are you staring at me?" Haru asked, noticing his staring.

"N-No reason." Rin replied, turning his head away.

'Is it because we haven't seen each other in a year?' the raven haired girl asked herself mentally, not knowing the real reason for his staring is because she was becoming a woman.

* * *

"Set. Go."

The two young swimmers shot into the water upon hearing the signal. Soon, the race was over before anyone knew it. Haru being the victor.

"Rin..." was all the raven haired girl could say as she stared down at the redheaded boy, who was on his knees and trying to keep the tears that had come into his eyes from falling, which ended up failing.

She made a move to help him up, but he quickly got up himself and walked passed her, not even sparing her a glance.

* * *

In the hallway

"Wait, Rin!" Haru called, grabbing the male swimmer's arm to stop him from leaving. "What's wrong?" she asked. "You've been acting pretty strange today." she remarked.

Rin said nothing as he clenched his fist tightly and pulled his arm back.

"I quit." he finally said.

"Huh?" the raven haired girl blinked in confusion.

"I'm done swimming." Rin told her. "If I can't beat you, a _girl_ , then what's the point?"

Haru gasped as her eyes widened at his words. She just stayed where she was as she watched the redheaded boy run away.

 _End Flashback_

* * *

Present Day

"I never knew that happened." Kokoro said after listening to the female swimmer's story.

"I couldn't tell anyone back then." Haru remarked.

"So that's why you quit the swim club in middle school." Nagisa stated.

"Haru stopped swimming competitively because she felt guilty about what happened with Rin." Makoto explained.

"But didn't your race the other day put an end to all of that?" Rei asked. "You're free now. You can swim the way you want now. So why are you upset about losing? And why is he returning the relay. I don't understand!"

"Rei-chan..." was the only thing the blonde first year told say.

"I don't understand either." Haru said. "But..." a small, sad smile came onto her face. "For some reason, I'm looking forward to racing Rin again." she confessed, looking up at the sky.

"You know..." Kokoro started to say. "Since you're all here, I think it's time to tell everyone something very important." she said.

"What do you mean, Kokoro-chan?" Makoto asked.

"Kokoro, you don't have to if you don't want to." Haru told her cousin.

"It's okay, Onee-chan." the violet haired girl reassured her cousin, a small smile on her face. "Both you and Onii-chan already know, so I think it would be fair to the others if I told them."

"Tell us what, Koko-chan?" Nagisa asked.

"The reason why I'm really here." Kokoro replied. "You see, my Papa died when I was five years old. After Papa's death, my Mama became very strict and bitter, she even started drinking. I spent most of my days inside my house, studying. The only time I went outside was to go to school and then back to home. I didn't get to play with the other children my age either. But what bothered me the most, was not being able to see Onee-chan and getting to swim with her a lot."

"Kokoro..." was all Haru said.

"Then, one day after I came home from school, Mama wasn't there." the ten year old continued. "She left a note, saying that she was going to be away for a while and that I should come live with Onee-chan."

"So your own mother left you to fend for yourself?" Makoto asked incredulously.

"I guess so." Kokoro said. "But, to be honest, I'm glad she did. If she didn't, I probably wouldn't have gotten to see Onee-chan and all of you again. And I wouldn't have met Onii-chan or Rei-onii-chan either." she told them, a small smile on her face.

No one said anything as they stared at the youngest member

"Kokoro..." Haru spoke up, breaking the silence. "You're crying." she said.

"Eh?" Kokoro questioned. Touching both sides of her face, she felt something wet falling down both of her cheeks. "Oh, it's looks like I am." she said. "I wonder when that happened." then her lips started to quiver. A few seconds later, she started full on sobbing, tears falling from her eyes even faster.

"Kokoro..." was the only thinking the young woman said as she went over to her cousin, kneeling down to her, and wrapping arms around her and pulled her close to her.

The male swimmers just stood where they were as they watched the violet haired girl cling onto the ravenette and cried her eyes out.

* * *

Later, at the train station

"Want some ice cream?" Nagisa asked Rei, holding out a popsicle to him.

"No, thanks." the blue haired young man refused.

"Well, there's no point in thinking about it." the blonde first year remarked. "It's all in the past. And we don't plan on getting you involved, so don't worry." he reassured the other swimmer.

"How can you say that when I'm already involved?!" Rei yelled, standing up from where he was sitting.

Nagisa said nothing as he stared at the other first year, taken aback by his sudden outburst.

* * *

The next day, at Iwatobi High School

"What?! Rei's not practicing?!" Sasabe exclaimed.

"That's unusual." Makoto remarked.

"I wonder where he could have gone." Kokoro thought aloud.

"Maybe the strawberry milk ice cream I gave him was spoiled." Nagisa said, rubbing the back of his head.

"Then why did you give it to him?!" Gou asked.

"I don't think ice cream can spoil." the old swim coach commented.

"But he is ate something spoiled..." the swim captain started to say.

"Mackerel?" the redheaded manger suggested.

"We didn't give him any." Haru and Kokoro said in unison.

"Anyway, there isn't much time left until regionals!" Sasabe shouted. "You need to work hard!" he ordered.

'Rei-chan couldn't have...' Nagisa thought.

* * *

Meanwhile, at Samezuka Academy

"Matsuoka, someone named Ryugazaki is here to see you."

"Eh?"

Walking out outside the pool building, Rin saw a certain blue haired first year standing a few feet away from him.

"Oh, it's you." was all he said.

"I need to talk to you." Rei told him.

 _To be continued..._

* * *

 **Omake Eight**

 _One day, at the Nanase residence_

"Why are we here again?" Rin asked, sitting in the living room with the other four swimmers. "And why does your living room have a stage?" he questioned the ravenette, gesturing to the small stage that was set up.

"Kokoro wanted to show us this comedy act she thought of." Haru replied. "Now be quiet, it's about to start. I want to film as much as I can." she said, holding a video camera in her hand.

"You have some cousin complex, don't you?" the redheaded swimmer remarked.

Then the stage's curtain rode up. On the stage of was Kokoro, who was sitting on her knees and wearing a light blue kimono.

"Thank you all for coming." the violet haired girl said. "I hope you all find my act entertaining."

All five swimmers clapped their hands.

"I shall start now." Kokoro announced. "In one hand, we have Nagisa-onii-chan; in the other, tofu." she pulled out a closed fan and tapped it on her head. "One is bland, while the other is blonde."

"Oh, how clever." Nagisa remarked.

"In one hand, we have Mako-onii-chan; in the other, a tiger cub." the ten year old continued. She tapped her head with the closed fan again. "One will grow up to be a scary cat, while the other is already a grown scaredy-cat."

"That's hurtful." Makoto said.

"In one hand, we have Onee-chan; in the other, water." Kokoro said, tapping her head with the closed fan. "One is colorless, while the other is often emotionless."

"Mmhmm." Haru nodded her head, stilling filming her cousin's act.

"In one hand, we have Onii-chan; in the other, a block of ice." the violet haired girl tapped the fan on her hand again. "One is known for it's coldness, while the other is known for his tsundereness."

"Wait just a minute here." Rin said.

'The last joke must be about me.' Rei thought.

"In one hand, we have Rei-onii-chan..." Kokoro trailed off, her mouth hanging slightly open.

Suddenly, the stage's curtain closed.

"Eh?!" the blue haired first year exclaimed in shock.

 _Kokoro-chan couldn't think of anything to compare Rei-chan to, so she skipped him._

 **FIN**

* * *

 **Finished! I hope you all enjoyed it. PLease tell me what you thought about it in your reviews. Only two more chapter to more chapters to go. Until next chapter, bye.**


	11. Furious All-out!

**Only one more chapter left after this! Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

Chapter Eleven: Furious All-out!

* * *

At Samezuka Academy

"So, what do you want?" Rin asked Rei.

"I have two questions for you." the blue haired first year told him.

"What are they?"

"Here is my first question." Rei said, taking a moment to push up his glasses. "Why did you suddenly decide to swim in the relay?" he asked.

"I changed my mind." Rin answered. "Did you just come hear to ask me that?" he questioned.

"That answer doesn't convince me." the blue haired young man stated. "You've been fixated on racing Haruka-senpai all this time. Your reason was that you couldn't move forward until you defeated her."

The redheaded swimmer didn't say anything.

"And in the last tournament, you beat her." Rei continued. "Doesn't that mean you achieved your goal?" he questioned.

Rin gritted his teeth together. "My goal isn't to beat Haru." he said. "And it's not to win in this tournaments in this country. I'm aiming higher. My goal is the world."

"The world?" the blue haired first year repeated. "Very well. Moving on to my second question." he looked the other male swimmer straight in the eye. "How do you feel about Haruka-senpai?" he asked.

The redheaded young man's eyes slightly, taken aback by the question.

"In grade school, you and Haruka-senpai were close rivals." Rei remarked. "I saw old pictures of you guys when we were at Coach Sasabe's house. You used to smile all the time. With Haruka-senpai, Makoto-senpai, and Nagisa-kun. The four of you were always together and having fun. So what made you change after going to study abroad? Why didn't you contact Haru-senpai or any of the others after you returned to Japan? What happened while you were aboard?"

Rin said nothing, his fists clenched tightly.

"You used to be good friends, so why?" the first year student asked, his voice getting slightly louder. "You swam in a relay together, so why? You must have been thrilled about swimming in a relay with them! Aren't you the one who understands more than anyone how great that relay was?"

"Shut up!" the redheaded yelled, causing the other swimmer to flinch a bit. "I let you talk, and you think you can say all the stupid logic you want?! Why should I explain myself to you?!"

"Because I'm a victim." Rei replied, pushing up his glasses. "I was originally on the track team, but I ended up joining the swim club. After watching Haruka-senpai swim, I wanted to swim like her. Practice was hard at first, but it started to grow on me. Eventually, I was having fun swimming with everyone. At prefecturals, I finally swam in a relay with them. That was the first time I really understood relays as more than just theory. I realized how fun they can be!"

Rin didn't say anything as he stared at the blue haired young man, his eyes slightly wide.

"I can still remember how it felt." Rei continued, clenching his fist. "We were finally united as one! We felt like a real team! But they all keep talking about you! Rin-chan! Rin-chan! Rin-chan!"

"That's not my problem!" the redheaded young man shouted.

"Like hell it's not!"

A second later, Rei grabbed Rin by his jacket collar and pushed him against the wall.

"Bastard!" the first year student yelled. "Get over yourself and take responsibility for once! It's your fault that Haruka-senpai stopped swimming!"

"What you talking about?!" the redheaded swimmer yelled back.

"Oh, come on! Do I have to spell it out for you?! Haruka-senpai felt guilty about beating you in middle school!" Rei told him.

Rin's eyes widely slightly when he heard this.

"So why are you people acting this way?!" the blue haired young man continued. "I don't understand your logic! You beat Haruka-senpai in your last race! Is that not enough for you?! Are you swimming in the relay just to rub it in?! What do you want from Haruka-senpai?! Do you even care about her?!"

"I care about her!" Rin snapped.

"Well you sure have a funny way of showing it!" Rei yelled angrily. "All I've ever seen you do to Haruka-senpai if to try to hurt her! What do you want?! What will it take to satisfy you?!"

The redheaded swimmer said nothing as he gritted his teeth together in irritation. "In that case..." he started to say. "What about you?" he asked.

"Eh?" the first year student questioned.

"You weren't involved in any of this, so why are you giving me all this grief?!" Rin exclaimed, removing the other swimmer's hands from his jacket collar. "What do _you_ want?!" he asked, grabbing Rei's shirt collar.

"I..." the blue haired young man started to say. "I want us to become the best team at a tournament." he said honestly. "I want to swim with them as a member of that team. That's all I want."

The redheaded young man seemed taken aback by his reply. Then he slowly let him go. The two swimmers stood in silence until Rei turned and started to walk away, stopping for a moment to pick up his bag.

"If you interfere, I will never forgive you." the first year said from over his shoulder before he began to walk away again, leaving behind the silent redheaded swimmer.

* * *

Meanwhile, at Iwatobi High School Swim Club

"Is Rei-onii-chan okay?" Kokoro asked.

"I think he'll be fine..." Nagisa trailed off. "But I'm a little worried." he admitted.

"Damn that Rei..." Sasabe cursed under his breath. "Doesn't he realize that an athlete needs to take care of his own health?" he questioned himself. He turned to the swimmers. "Hey, do check on him." he told them, holding a thousand yen bill between his fingers.

* * *

Later, in the evening

"Hey, isn't this the first time we're going over to Rei's place?" Haru questioned as the swim club walked to the first year's house.

"I live nearby, so I drop by and visit sometimes." Nagisa informed.

"What kind of gift should we get him?" Makoto asked.

"We have to definitely get him a melon!" Kokoro stated.

"But there won't be any under a thousand yen." the olive green haired young man remarked.

"Should me go for strawberries, then?" the blonde first year suggested.

"Wasn't it a strawberry milk ice cream that made him sick?" Haru asked.

"Oh, that's right..." was all Nagisa said as he smiled nervously. "Have about bananas?"

"Should we even be bringing food if he has an upset stomach?" Makoto questioned.

"Are you sure it was something he ate?" Kokoro asked.

"Huh?" was the blonde first year's reply.

"Or could it be what I said yesterday that's bothering him?" the female swimmer asked.

"Um..."

* * *

Meanwhile, at the Ryugazaki residence

After hearing the doorbell ring, Rei opened the door and saw his swim team standing outside.

"Heya, Rei-chan!" Nagisa greeted.

"We came to visit you." Kokoro told him as everyone walked inside.

"Why is everyone here?" the blue haired first year asked.

"You weren't at practice today, so we came to see you." Makoto explained.

"Oh, I was..." Rei started to say.

"Hey, you look like you're gonna be just fine." Nagisa commented. "Gou-chan and Ama-chan-sensei were worried, too. Goro-chan was worried you weren't taking care of yourself with a tournament coming up."

"Everybody was worried about me?" the blue haired young man asked, a look of slight surprise on his face.

"Of course." Haru and Kokoro said in unison.

"It was the first time you've ever missed practice." Makoto remarked. "It'd be one thing if Nagisa missed..."

"Hey, what's that suppose to mean?!" the blonde first year demanded.

"Sorry, sorry." the swim captain apologized, laughing a bit.

"Wow, these are incredible." the violet haired girl said in amazement as she looked at a bunch of trophies that were on a shelf. "Rei-onii-chan, are these from middle school?" she asked the older boy.

"Yes, but's that all in the past." Rei replied.

"But now he has all of these swimming books." Nagisa informed.

"You're right." Makoto said.

"You've read all of these books?" Haru asked as she looked over at the blue haired first year.

"Oh, yes." Rei answered. "I've got all the theories down."

"You're not suppose to say that, Rei-chan." the short blonde told him. "You'll set yourself up to fail!"

"Why would you say that?" the blue haired young man asked.

"Rei, did you really go and see Rin?" the ravenette suddenly questioned.

"I told them everything." Nagisa said to the taller first year. "Sorry, Rei-chan." he apologized.

"It's okay." Rei said. He looked at the female swimmer. "Yes, I did." he told her.

"Is it because I told you about our past?" Haru asked.

"No, I had my own reasons for wanting to meet Rin-san." the blue haired swimmer replied. "But it's okay now. I'm done worrying about him. It's not my problem."

Everyone was slightly surprised by what the first year just said. They all looked at one another and smiled.

"Okay then." Haru said, tucking a strand a hair behind her ear. "The four of us are a team now, Rei." she stated.

"Haruka-senpai..." was the only thing Rei could say.

"Yep, we need you to contribute to the team." Makoto told him.

"That's right!" Nagisa agreed.

"Every member is irreplaceable, Rei-onii-chan!" Kokoro remarked.

The blue haired young man didn't say anything as he stared at his teammates with slightly wide eyes. "Yes!" he finally said.

"Let's take a break then!" the blonde first year said cheerfully.

"Why did you bring melon bread as a gift?" Rei asked as he stared at said melon bread that was laying on the table.

"Because an actual melon would have been too expensive." the ten year old explained simply.

"This is really good though." Nagisa stated as he took out another melon bread. "Here, Haru-chan." he said as he held the bread out towards the ravenette. "Oen wide."

"No, it's fine..." Haru started to say but was cut off when the blonde first year shoved the melon bread in her mouth.

"Well? Is it good?" Nagisa asked.

"Losing moisture..." was the female swimmer's muffled reply as her face started to turn blue.

"Onee-chan, are you okay?!" Kokoro exclaimed.

"Rei, get something to drink! Quick!" Makoto said to the blue haired first year.

"Yes, I'll be right back!" Rei shouted as he stood up and rushed towards the kitchen.

"Hang in there, Onee-chan." the violet haired girl told her cousin as she patted her back.

"The drink that best goes with melon bread is..." the blue haired young man started to say as he came back from the kitchen. "Barley tea." he finished, holding said drink. "The Ryugazaki family has been pairing melon bread with barley tea since my grandfather's time." he said, sounding rather proud.

"Rei-onii-chan, stop babbling and just give Onee-chan something to drink before she dies of dehydration!" Kokoro yelled.

"Water..." Haru said weakly.

"Is Haru-chan okay?" Nagisa asked calmly.

"How can you be so calm?!" Makoto asked in disbelief.

"This is all your fault, Nagisa-onii-chan!" the violet haired girl declared as she started to hit the blonde.

"Eh?! Me?!" the blonde first year exclaimed, pointing at himself, as he was getting abused by the little swimmer.

Rei chuckled slighty as he watched the scene in front of him.

"Rei-onii-chan, hurry up!" Kokoro ordered.

"Oh, yes!" the blue haired young man as he rushed over. "Haruka-senpai, I'm coming to help!"

"Don't die, Onee-chan!" the ten year old wailed.

* * *

The next day, at Samezuka Academy

Rin was swimming laps in the pool when he remembered what Rei had said to him the other day, then he remembered how he said something similar when he was younger.

"Matsuoka-senpai seems really off today." Ai commented as he watched the redheaded young man swim through the water.

"Did he say anything to you, Nitori?" Seijirou asked.

"So, he doesn't really tell me anything." the first year student replied. "But I'm sure there's nothing to worry about!" he quickly added. "I'm sure he went through much tougher experiences while he was aboard."

"Matsuoka didn't join the swim team when he first transferred here from Australia." the swim captain told him. "Do you know why?"

"No." Ai answered. "Did something happened?" he asked.

"Well, the past doesn't matter." Seijirou stated. "It's performance that counts here. The fastest swimmer wins. It's that simple."

* * *

Meanwhile, at Iwatobi High School

"Gou-chan!" Toka called out when saw the redheaded first year and noticed that she was carrying two bags. "Let me help you with those." she offered as she took one of the bags.

"Thank you very much, Toka-senpai." Gou said appreciatively.

"I thought I should let you, some of my friends want to go cheer at regionals." the student council president informed.

"Why are they suddenly so interested?" the manger asked.

"Because the swim club made it past prefectuals." Toka explained. "A brand new club making it to regionals. It's amazing!" she declared, smiling widely.

* * *

Later that afternoon

"Practice was really tough today." Kokoro remarked, walking home with her cousin. "Coach Sasabe such is working everyone hard."

"Well, regionals aren't that far away." Haru told her in monotone.

"That's true." the violet haired girl agreed. "I still can't believe you'll all be going in just a few days. I really wish I was going along with you guys when you leave."

"We just can't take you with us like that." the young woman said.

"I know." Kokoro sighed sadly. She looked over at her cousin. "Ne, Onee-chan."

"What is it, Kokoro?" Haru asked.

"Can you and I make a quick stop someone before we go home?"

"Eh?"

* * *

Later, at a cemetery

"It's been a while, hasn't it, Papa?" Kokoro questioned, kneeling in front of a headstone that had 'Kei Nanase' inscribed on it.

Haru stood a few feet away from her cousin as she watched her.

"I'm sorry I haven't been visiting you very much." the ten year old apologized. "A lot of things have been going on lately. Right now, I'm currently living with Onee-chan. I'm not sure where Mama is, but I hope she's doing okay. I got to see Mako-onii-chan and Nagisa-onii-chan again, they're both doing good. I also go to met Rei-onii-chan. He's really smart, but his swimming needs a bit of work. There's also Kou-onee-chan, who loves muscles, and Toka-onee-chan, she's strict but really nice. Then there's Kanon-chan and Jimeko-chan, my bestest friends. Finally, there's Onii-chan. He's a bit rude and a jerk, but he's really nice when he wants to be."

Kokoro stared at the headstone for a moment, the afternoon breeze blowing her hair to the side.

"I just want to let you know something, Papa." the violet haired girl continued. "I want you to know that I'm happy. I'm doing well in school, have great friends, and I get to swim Onee-chan and everyone else almost everyday, and it's a lot of fun. Even though I feel sad about Mama leaving me, I know I'm not alone. I'm well aware that I'm surrounded by people who love me."

"Kokoro..." was the only thing Haru said.

"I miss you a whole lot, Papa." Kokoro stated. "I wish you were here with me right now, but know it's impossible. But still..." a small, sad smile appeared on her face. "I know you're watching over me and making sure I'm doing okay." she placed two finger on her lips. "I love you, Papa." she said as she placed her fingers on the headstone. "I'll see you next time."

"Are you okay?" the female swimmer asked as she watched her cousin stand up and walk over to her.

"I course I am." the violet haired replied.

"Then why are you crying?" Haru questioned, immediately noticing the tears that had begun to appear in the little girl's eyes.

"Geez, again?" Kokoro said as she wiped away her tears. "When did I become such a crybaby?" she asked herself.

The ravenette didn't say anything. She knelt down to her cousin's height, wrapped her arms around her, and pulled her close to her.

"You were right about one thing." Haru said as she hugged the ten year old girl. "You're not alone and are surrounded by people who love you."

"Onee-chan..." was the only thing Kokoro could say. Then she wrapped her arms around her cousin and hugged her back.

* * *

A few days later, at the Nanase residence

"Are you sure I can't skip school to see you off to your trip to regionals?" Kokoro asked her cousin, about to leave for said school.

"Yes." Haru replied in monotone. "You must get a proper education."

"Remember, my Mom will be coming to pick you up after school is over." Makoto informed her.

"Okay." the ten year old replied.

"Be good while we're gone, Kokoro." the ravenette told her cousin.

"I will, Onee-chan." Kokoro promised. "I'll be there at regionals tomorrow to cheer you on."

"I'm looking forward to it." Haru said, giving a small smile to the little girl as she quickly knelt down and hugged her.

"Haru, we have to get going." the swim captain told his childhood friend.

"Okay." the young woman replied as she stopped hugging her cousin and stood. "You better go, too." she said.

"Alright, bye, Onee-chan, Mako-onii-chan!" Kokoro called as she started to leave, waving her arm. "Good luck at regionals, Onee-chan! Love you!"

"Love you, too." Haru called back as she waved good-bye to her cousin.

"Having Kokoro-chan around sure has been great." Makoto remarked, smiling as he watched the ten year old leave.

"Yeah..." the ravenette agreed.

"I'm just wondering, but what will you do when her mother comes to take her back?" the olive green haired young man asked.

"Even if she did come back, there's no way I'll let her take Kokoro so easily." Haru replied, her face and tone of voice very serious. "Now come on, we're going to be late." she said as she walked ahead of her childhood friend.

Makoto stayed where he was, slightly taken aback from what the female swimmer had said.

"You coming?" the ravenette asked, stopping for a moment to look over her shoulder and at him.

"Yeah." the male swimmer replied, a smile appearing on his face. "I'm coming." he said as he followed the young woman."

* * *

Meanwhile, at Iwatobi Elementary School

"Hey, Kokoro-chan!" Kanon and Jimeko greeted in unison when they saw their friend enter the classroom.

"Hi, Kanon-chan, Jimeko-chan." Kokoro said as she went over to the other ten year olds.

"Isn't your cousin and the rest of the Iwatobi Swim Club going to regionals today?" the orange-brown haired girl asked.

"Yeah, and I really wanted to go see her off." the violet haired swimmer said. "But, I have a plan."

"What is it?" the blonde, black tipped haired girl questioned.

Instead of answering, Kokoro just giggled. "Hey, Kanon-chan, Jimeko-chan, are you guys doing anything during lunch?" she asked.

"Eh?"

* * *

Later that, at Iwatobi High School

"Are you really going to sneak onto the bus?" Kanon asked the young swimmer, standing beside said bus that was going to take the Iwatobi Swim Clun to regionals.

"Yep." Kokoro replied. "You're not going to tell Onee-chan, are you?" she asked her friend.

"Oh no, I'm completely on board with this plan." the blonde, black tipped girl said with a cheerful smile on her face, giving a thumbs-up.

"Are you going to be alright, hiding in the bus?" Jimeko asked, a nervous expression on her face. "What if you get taught?"

"You worry too much, Jimeko-chan." Kokoro remarked.

"I'm just being a realist." the orange-brown haired girl retorted.

"Let's just hurry up before we're seen." Kanon said.

A few moments later

"Why am I on the bottom?" Jimeko complained, holding the blonde, black tipped ten year old on her shoulders as she held her ankles.

"Because you have the strongest shoulders." Kanon replied, holding up the violet haired girl on her shoulders, as well, gripping her ankles. "Kokoro-chan, you almost got it?" she asked the girl above her.

"Almost..." Kokoro replied, grunting as she tried to lift up one of the windows of the bus. After a few more pushes, she finally managed to get it up all the way. "Got it!" she cheered.

"Please hurry." Jimeko begged, small beads of sweat forming on her face. "I don't know how much longer I can hold you both."

"Here we go." the ten year old swimmer said to herself as she pushed her body through the open window. "I'm in!" she exclaimed victoriously when she was completely inside the bus.

"Alright." Kanon said as she jumped down from the orange-brown haired girl's shoulders, causing her to sigh in relief. "Good luck, Kokoro-chan." she told her friend.

"Please be careful." Jimeko pleaded. "This is as reckless as it can get." she remarked.

"I'll be fine." Kokoro reassured her friend. "Thank you both for your help." she said appreciatively. "You guys better hurry and get back to school before they notice you're missing."

"We'll cover for you when we get back." the blonde, black tipped ten year old stated before she turned to leave.

"Take care, Kokoro-chan." the orange-brown haired girl said before she followed the other girl.

"Bye, Kanon-chan, Jimeko-chan!" Kokoro called out as she waved at her friend's retreating figures.

The two girls looked over their shoulders and waved back at their friend.

"Alright then..." the violet haired girl swimmer said to herself, closing the bus's window when her friends where out of sight. "Now to find a place to hide."

After some quick thinking, the ten year old decided that the best place to hide was at the very back of the bus.

"I'll just stay here until we reach regionals." Kokoro thought aloud, making herself comfortable on the bus's floor. "Now all I have to do is wait until the others come."

* * *

Later that day

"Okay, I've taught you everything I can." Sasabe said to the swim club, who were ready to board the bus that would take them to regionals. "All that's left is for you to perform your best!"

"Good luck to all of you." Toka told them, holding up a banner, which had 'Fire it up! Iwatobi Swim Club' written on it, with Gou, Ms. Amakata, and some other girls. "Make our school proud."

"Fire!" Nagisa shouted.

"That banner is really embarrassing." Rei remarked.

"That drawing..." Haru started to say, noticing the drawing that was of the the school's mascot was on the banner.

"It's the one that Haru-chan drew." the blonde first year pointed out.

"I didn't think anyone would use it for something like that." the ravenette stated.

"Well, we'll head up there tomorrow morning." Ms. Amakata informed.

"Make sure you get plenty of rest at the hotel near the venue." Toka said sternly.

"The Roman general Caeser said it best." the lady teacher spoke up. "If we cross, we will wreak tragedy upon the world. If we don't..."

"We better get going." Haru said, cutting off the club's advisor.

"We're off!" the other male swimmers said before they all boarded the bus.

* * *

Meanwhile, at Samezuka Academy

As he was walking to the bus that would take the team to regionals, Rin stopped in his tracks when he heard his phone go off. He pulled it out and saw that he had just gotten a text message from his younger sister.

 _From: Matsuoka Gou_

 _Subject: Onii-chan_

 _Best of luck to both sides! Let's go to nationals!_

The redheaded young man just stared at the message.

"What is it?" Ai asked as he walked up to stand beside the taller swimmer.

"Nothing." Rin replied, putting his phone away.

"Rin!" a female voice suddenly called out.

The redheaded young man turned his head to the direction the voice called from.

"Hi, honey!" Ryoko greeted with a large smile on her face, waving her arm as she headed over to where her son was, Ginjirou walking beside her.

"Why is she here?" Rin asked himself.

'Wow, pretty...' Ai thought when he saw the redheaded woman, blushing slightly.

A lot of the Samezuka students stopped what they were and turned to look at Ryoko, all thinking how beautiful she was and such.

"What are you doing here?" Rin asked his mother when she reached him, petting the large dog's head.

"I thought I would come over and surprise you by seeing you off." Ryoko told him. "Well, are you? Are you surprised?" she questioned.

"I'll admit, I didn't expect you to come here." the male swimmer replied.

"Oi, Matsuoka." Seijirou said as he came over. "Why didn't you tell me that you had such a hot older sister?" he asked. "Is she a college student?"

"Oh my, what a charmer." the tall redheaded woman giggled, holding a hand to her mouth.

"Captain..." Rin started to say, giving the swim captain a blank stare. "This is my Mom." he told him, pointing at his mother.

"Eh?!" nearly all of the members of the swim team exclaimed, shocked that the woman was older than she looked.

"It's true." Ryoko confirmed. "My name is Ryoko. Nice to meet you."

"If you're Matsuoka's mother, that means you're also Gou-kun's mother." Seijirou remarked. "Now I know where she gets her good looks from."

"Oh, how sweet you to say." the redheaded woman said. "Thank you very much for taking care of my son." she said appreciatively, bowing slightly to the swim captain. "And I'm sorry for any trouble he has caused for you."

"Mom!" Rin yelled.

Ginjrou barked and bowed his head.

"You, too, Ginjirou?!" the redheaded swimmer exclaimed.

"It's fine. It's a pleasure to meet you, Ryoko-san." Seijirou remarked, bowing back at the cafe owner.

"You know..." Ryouko started to say, smiling a bit too sweetly for her son's liking. "If you ever need Rin to do you're bidding, I have a _ton_ of embarrassing stories about him when he was a kid."

"Mother!" Rin shouted.

"Oh?" the orange haired swim captain questioned in interest. "What kind of embarrassing stories?" he asked.

"Well, there was one time when he was twelve and he-"

"Shouldn't we be boarding the bus now?!" the redheaded swimmer exclaimed, cutting off his mother.

"Alright, alright." Seijirou said. "Again, pleasure meeting you, Ryoko-san." he said to the redheaded woman before walking away.

"Bye, bye." Ryoko said, waving good-bye.

"We're going, too." Rin informed, following the swim captain with Ai behind him.

"Bye, Rin." the cafe owner said. "Good luck. I'll be there to cheer you on at regionals tomorrow morning." she told him. "If you see Haru-chan, say hi for me."

Ginjirou barked in agreement.

"See ya." the male swimmer called back, waving to his mother.

"You're mother is really nice, Matsuoka-senpai." Ai commented as they boarded the bus.

"She can be embarrassing sometimes, but..." Rin trailed off as he stared at his mother. "She's really great." he finished.

* * *

Meanwhile, on Iwatobi Swim Club's bus

"Hello?" Makoto said after he answered his phone. "Mom? What is it?" he asked. "Eh?!" he suddenly exclaimed, his face taking on an expression of shock. "What do you mean she wasn't there? Okay, calm down. Maybe she decided to go over to a friend's house. I'll tell Haru."

"Is something wrong, Mako-chan?" Nagisa asked the swim captain as he ended the call he had with his mother.

"That was a my Mom." the olive green haired young man told them. "She said that Kokoro-chan wasn't at school when she went to pick her up.

"Eh?" the rest of the team said in surprise.

"What do you mean?" Haru asked.

"Apparently, a couple of her friends told the teacher that she went home around lunch time because she wasn't feeling well." Makoto informed.

"Why did she suddenly ditch school?" Rei thought aloud.

"More importantly, where could she have gone?" Nagisa questioned.

Suddenly, everyone heard a small sneeze-like sound. They all stayed where they were, all of their faces blank.

"You don't think..." Makoto started to say.

"I wouldn't put it past her." Haru said.

Then the entire swimmer club turned their heads to the back of the bus.

"Kokoro, come out right now." the ravenette ordered, her in monotone.

A small, squeak-like sound came from the back of the bus. A few moments later, the violet haired girl slowly came out of her hiding place.

"H-Hey, guys." Kokoro greeted, rubbing the back of her head with a nervous smile on her face. "How's it going?"

"What the hell are you doing here?" Haru asked in a cold tone of voice that made a shiver go up the ten year old's spine.

"W-W-Well, you see..." the young swimmer stammered, trying to think on an excuse, shaking slightly from her older cousin's cold, pissed off stare. "I-I really wanted to go with you guys when you arrived at regionals. S-So I left school and stowed away on the bus." she told them.

The female swimmer stared at her cousin blankly for a moment. Then she knelt down closer to her height. Then she grabbed her cheeks, and pulled hard on them.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!" Kokoro cried out in pain.

"You idiot." Haru said in monotone. "For this stupid stunt, you're grounded for a month. And no mackerel during that time."

"I'm sorry, Onee-chan!" the violet haired girl wailed, comical tears flowing from her eyes.

"I'll call my Mom and tell her the news." Makoto informed as he started to call his mother.

* * *

After a long bus, making one stop somewhere, it was nighttime by time the swim club had arrived at station the bus was suppose to drop them off at. From there, they walked to the hotel they were starting at.

* * *

"Phew!" Kokoro exhaled sharply as she fell backwards on one of the beds of the hotel room her cousin and the swim captain were sharing. "I'm bushed. Such I long bus trip." she remarked.

"That's for sure." Makoto agreed, sitting down on another bed. "Man, we're here all by ourselves in this hotel. I'm getting nervous."

"Yeah..." Haru, who was in the bathroom and washing her face, replied in monotone, shaking her head from side-to-side to get the water off of her face.

"I wonder if Onii-chan has made it yet." Kokoro thought aloud.

The ravenette didn't make a reply.

Suddenly, the door to their room opened.

"Haru-chan! Koko-chan! Mako-chan!" Nagisa called as he and Rei entered the room. "Ready to go?" he asked.

"What do you want for dinner?" the blue haired first year asked.

"Hmm." Makoto hummed, placing his hand to his chin in thought. "There's only one thing to eat before a tournament." he said.

* * *

Sometime later, at a small restaurant

"Pork cutlet bowl!" the blonde first year requested.

"I think I'll go with tenderloin cutlets." the olive green haired swim captain said

"Me too." Nagisa remarked. "Two tenderloin cutlets!"

"Two miso mackerel meal, please." Haru and Kokoro ordered in unison.

"Saw that coming." the short blonde said.

"I'm thinking the hot pot or pork cutlet bowl with anakake sauce." Rei thought aloud. "Hm, or maybe the chilled cutlet udon..."

"One hot pot, one ankake, one chilled cutlet udon."

"What?!" the blue haired first year exclaimed. "You've got it wrong! I wasn't placing an order!"

All the other swimmers started to laugh, except Haru, who just turned her head away, her shoulders shaking from the laughter she was trying to keep inside.

* * *

Later

"That was so good!" Kokoro declared, walking down the streets with the others.

"I had too much to eat." Rei remarked.

Then, out of the corner of his eye, Nagisa noticed something. "Hey, are those guys going to be in the tournament tomorrow?" he asked, talking about the small group of young men that had walked past them. "What if they end up in the lane next to us?"

"They're probably students at a local high school." the blue haired young man told him. "After all, they're aren't built like swimmers."

"You sound like Kou-onee-chan." Kokoro pointed out, giggling.

"Hey, I have an idea." Makoto spoke up. "Let's check out the pool."

* * *

A little bit later

The swim team were all starting at a sign that had 'Only authorized personnel allowed.' written on it.

"No luck." Nagisa said.

"Guess it's too late." Kokoro remarked.

"This isn't going to happen, then." Rei commented.

"Wait, we might be able to see the pool." Haru suddenly said.

* * *

Later

"Last one to the top is a sea urchin!" the violet haired girl shouted cheerfully, rushing up a flight of stairs, that lead to a hill, with the other swimmers.

"Don't run up stairs in the dark." the ravenette scolded her cousin as they made it to the top.

"Woah..." was all Kokoro could say from what she saw at the top.

From where they were, everyone could see the large pool, which was glowing brightly from the lights in the stadium, that they were going to swim in for the tournament.

"It's big." Haru commented.

"It's so pretty." the ten year old remarked.

"We'll be swimming in that tomorrow." Rei said.

"I'm getting excited!" Nagisa declared, excitement obviously in his voice.

No one said anything else as they stared at the large pool.

* * *

Meanwhile, at Iwatobi High School

"All done! What do you think?" Gou asked Toka as she showed her the banner she had made.

It had 'Fly High! Iwatobi Swim Club' written in it, along with a crude drawing of some type of bird.

"It's close..." the student council president started to say. "As for the drawing... What is it suppose to be, exactly?"

"I can't help it if I'm not a talent artist like Haru-senpai!" the redheaded manger yelled.

Then the door to the classroom they were in slid open.

"Girl, you should go home." Ms. Amakata told the two students. "We'll be leaving early tomorrow morning."

"Yes, we're almost done..." Gou replied. Then she heard her phone go off. She picked it up from the desk she had set it down on and look at it. She had just gotten a text message from her older brother. "Onii-chan?" she questioned.

 _From: Onii-chan_

 _Subject:_

 _I need to ask you something._

* * *

Meanwhile, back at the hotel the Iwatobi Swim Club was staying at

"Haru, are you asleep?" Makoto asked his childhood friend, was who sharing a bed with her cousin.

"No, I'm awake." Haru replied, talking quietly so she didn't wake up Kokoro.

"Can't fall asleep, huh?" the olive green haired young man questioned.

"Yeah..." the ravenette said softly.

"I hope we make it to the final tomorrow." Makoto told her.

"Yeah..." was all Haru said. For a while, she didn't say anything. "Makoto." she finally said.

The swim captain turned his head to the right, finding himself staring at the back of the young woman's head.

"I appreciate you being here for me." Haru told him in monotone, not turning to her head to look at him. "Thanks." she added.

Makoto was a bit taken aback by what she just said. "Haru?!" he said a bit too loudly as he sat up.

"I'm going for a quick run." the female swimmer informed as she sat up as well and got out of the bed.

"Wait, now?!" the swim captain asked.

"What's going on?" Kokoro asked, waking up from the sudden run.

"I'm just going for a run." Haru told her, putting on her shoes.

"At this time of night?" the violet haired girl questioned as she watched her cousin walk towards the door. "Wait, I want to come with you!" she declared as she quickly jumped out of the bed and put on her shoes.

"If you want to, fine." the ravenette replied. "But don't blame me if you get insomnia."

"Okay." Kokoro said as she followed the older girl.

Makoto said nothing as he watched the two cousin walk out of the room. When he heard the door close, he smiled as he started to laugh.

* * *

Meanwhile

"Hey, Rei-chan..." Nagisa started to say to the other first year that was laying in the other bed of their hotel room.

"What is it?" Rei asked.

"You shouldn't eat that squid..." the blonde first year mumbled.

"He's talking in his sleep?!" the blue haired young man exclaimed in disbelief.

Then he noticed that his phone at gone off, signaling that he had just got a text message.

* * *

Meanwhile

A certain redheaded swimmer put away his phone after sending a text to a certain blue haired swimmer, looking out towards to the windmills that were in front of him.

* * *

Somewhere else

Haru and Kokoro was jogging down the street, the violet haired girl a few feet away from her cousin.

"Haru-chan! Koko-chan!"

The two stopped in their tracks when they heard their names being called. They turned their head in the direction of the voice, seeing a certain blonde first year waving at them.

"Nagisa/Nagisa-onii-chan?" Haru and Kokoro said in slight surprise.

* * *

Later, at a park

The three swimmer were sitting on a swig set, the violet haired girl sitting between her cousin and short blonde.

"Rei-chan was gone when I woke up, so I went looking for him." Nagisa explained. "What about you two?" he asked.

"I'm out because Onee-chan was going out." Kokoro told him. "I don't know her real reason for going out, though."

"I'm..." Haru started to say.

"Too nervous to sleep, right?" the first year questioned.

"It's not exactly that." the ravenette replied.

"I'm feeling pretty nervous myself." Nagisa remarked.

"You are?" Haru and Kokoro asked in surprise, both slightly surprised that the energetic blonde was actually saying he was nervous.

"What if I screw up my dive? Wouldn't I ruin it for everyone?" the first year asked himself, looking up at the sky. "I'm worrying about things I usually don't think about. Because I get to swim in a relay with you guys again!" he said happily, smiling widely at the cousins. "And we;ll be racing Rin-chan tomorrow. That's probably why Haru-chan is nervous."

"That does make sense..." Kokoro remarked.

"It'a all thanks to Nagisa." Haru said.

"Huh?" the other two swimmers questioned.

"You're the one who came up with the idea of starting a swim club." the ravenette stated.

"Yep, that's right." the short blonde said.

"I never thought I'd be swimming in a relay again." Haru said more to herself.

"Well, that means you should be showing more gratitude to me!" Nagisa declared.

"What's with that high and mighty act?" Kokoro asked.

"He's right." the ravenette suddenly said.

"Eh?" the other two said in slight surprise.

"Thanks, Nagisa." Haru said to the blonde swimmer with her usual expressionless face, although her voice had a tone of gratefulness in it. "And Kokoro, thank you for always being there and encouraging me every step of the way." she told her cousin.

Kokoro and Nagisa stared at the ravenette, a look of shock on both of their faces. Then they both smiled widely.

"Onee-chan/Haru-chan!" the two swimmers cried as they jump from where they were sitting and wrapped their arms around the older girl.

"Oi!" Haru exclaimed.

"I'm so happy!" Nagisa said happily.

"I love you, Onee-chan!" Kokoro declared.

"Knock it off! Are either of you listening, Kokoro, Nagisa?!"

* * *

Meanwhile

"Yo." Rin greeted nonchalantly when he saw a certain blue haired first year walking towards him.

"Do you want something?" Rei asked.

"I never answered your question." the redheaded young man said.

"That is no longer necessary." the other male swimmer told him.

"No. I'll give you my answer. I won't feel like it's over until I do." Rin retorted. "You wanted to know how I feel about Haru, right?" he questioned. "It's true that I was fixated on racing her. But it's not Haru's fault that I wanted to quit swimming."

Rei was slightly taken aback by what he just said.

"I was pretty shocked when I lost to her." the redheaded swimmer continued. "But that wasn't what did it. After moving to Australia, I trained every day and participated in tournaments. But I couldn't swim the way I wanted to. The Olympics where completely out of reach. I felt more and more like I was being left behind. I could only wonder. Why was I struggling so much? Why? Ah... It was because I swam in a relay. I ruined myself. That was the conclusion I arrived at."

Rei said nothing at he stared at the other swimmer, slightly shocked by what he was saying.

"After returning to Japan, I didn't let any of them know." Rin said. "I didn't talk to any of them. But when I swam with Haru that night, I had a breakthrough. I wanted to swim again. When I watched you guys swim at prefecturals, it reminded me our relay."

"Rin-san, you..." the blue haired young man started to say.

"Your name's Ryugazaki?" the redheaded swimmer questioned. "I'm going to swim in Samezuka's relay. I'm going to show you how good I can be." he declared. "So do the best you an with Haru and your other teammates. But that also means that you can't embarrass your team."

Rei didn't say anything as he stared at the other young man.

"That' all I have to say." Rin said. "Sorry to make you come out here." he apologized as he walked past the first year.

"How you feel for Haruka-senapi..." the blue haired swimmer started to say. "You love her, don't you?" he asked.

Rin stopped in his tracks when he heard the question. He didn't say anything, not turning around to look at the other swimmer. "Yeah, I do. Very much." he finally said before he started to walk away again.

Rei just stayed where he was, thinking about all the things the redheaded young man told him.

* * *

Later, at the hotel Samezuka swim team was staying at

"Welcome back, Senpai." Ai greeted when he saw the the second year walk into the room they were sharing.

Rin didn't make any reply.

"Did something happen?" the first year asked.

"No, nothing happened." the redheaded young man told him.

"Oh, that's right. The captain was looking for you. He probably wants to talk about the relay tomorrow."

* * *

A bit later, outside in the hallway

"What?" Rin questioned as he stared at the pieces of paper in his hand.

"This will be our lineup for the relay tomorrow." Seijirou told him. "You can focus on the 100m free."

"Hold on! Why?!" the male swimmer demanded.

"You haven't paid any attention to your own relay team." the swim captain remarked. "You're focused on something else. I'm sending our best members out there. That's what a team should do. You're not at your best condition right now."

"You can't..." was all Rin was able to say.

 _To be continued..._

* * *

 **Omake Nine**

 _One bright, sunny day_

"Okay. Who's ready for our 'all girls shopping trip'?" Ryoko asked.

"Yeah!" Kokoro, Gou, and Toka all cheered.

"Uh..." Haru groaned.

"Haru-chan, stop making that 'This is such a pain in the ass' face!" the redheaded woman ordered.

"But it is a pain in the ass." the ravenette retorted.

"Come on, Onee-chan." the violet haired girl said. "You need some new clothes."

"I'm fine with what I have." Haru remarked.

"Haru-senpai doesn't like shopping very much." Gou stated the obvious. "But only for swimsuits, though." she added.

"She's such a tomboy." Toka commented, giggling.

"Haru-chan..." Ryoko started to say. "If you agree to come shopping with us, you can have all the mackerel you want once we're through." she offered.

The female swimmer perked up when she heard this. She thought about the older woman's offer. "Alright, I'll go..." she finally said with some hesitation.

"Alright!" the cafe owner cheered. "Let's start the shopping!" she stated, grabbing the ravenette's wrists and dragging her with her, the other girls following.

* * *

Sometime later

Haru, Kokoro, Gou, Toka, and Ryoko were all standing in front of the store the oldest of the group lead them to, a lingerie store.

"Why are we at a lingerie store?" the female swimmer asked.

"Do we really need to go in here?" the redheaded manger questioned.

"I figured we could buy some new underwear for Haru-chan while we're out." Ryoko told them. "And maybe get something for ourselves."

"I'm not even old enough to wear anything from here." Kokoro pointed out.

"I don't need anything from here." the ravenette informed in monotone. "I have my swimsuit."

"You can't just wear a swimsuit in place of underwear, Haru-chan." the redheaded woman retorted.

"You've just never tried it." Haru shot back.

"Why are you so stubborn?" Ryoko asked, sighing.

"What does Haru-chan mean she says she only needs her swimsuit?" Toka questioned.

"Oh, Onee-chan says her swimsuit kinda has a built-in bra." Kokoro explained.

"I guess that makes some sense..." was all Gou said.

"Haru-chan." the oldest one of the group spoke up, her expression serious. "If you agree to buy at least _one_ set of underwear, not only will you get as much mackerel as you want, I will also buy you the cutest stuff animal I can find."

Haru froze when she heard this. "Really?" she asked, her eyes taking on an adoring look, despite her face being emotionless.

"Yes, I swear on the Matsuoka family name." Ryoko vowed, placing a hand over her heart.

"Isn't that taking it a bit far?" the ten year old, manger, and student council president asked in unison.

"I'll do it." the ravenette said immediately.

"She agreed to it." the other three stated the obvious.

"Fantastic!" the redheaded woman cheered happily. "Well then, let's go inside." she said as she herded the girls into the store.

* * *

Inside the lingerie store

"Oh, found one in my size." Ryoko thought aloud as she picked up a dark purple bra from a rack.

"What size is Ryoko-san?" Toka asked.

"My size is F." the cafe ordered replied. "What size are you, Toka-chan?" she questioned.

"Ah, I'm an E..." the student council president answered in a soft tone of voice, blushing a light red as she smiled sheepishly.

"You don't have to be so embarrassed." Ryoko told her. "You should be proud to have big breasts."

"M-Maybe..." was all Toka said, the blush on her face darkening a bit as her glasses fogged up from the steam that was coming from her face.

"Ne, Kou-onee-chan..." Kokoro started to say as she turned to the redheaded first year. "What size are you?" she asked.

Gou flinched form the questioned. "Oh, uh..." she trailed off, lowering her head. She mumbled something.

"What was that?" the violet haired girl questioned, not hearing her.

"I'm a B..." the redheaded manger repeated what she had mumbled, her face slightly red.

"Don't look so ashamed." Kokoro told her. "I hear that small bras are cuter."

"That doesn't make me feel better!" Gou exclaimed.

"Haru-chan, try this one on." Ryoko said to the ravenette, handing her a red and black bra.

"Okay..." Haru replied.

"Do you need help putting it on?" the redheaded woman asked.

"I've worn a bra before." the young woman retorted. "Don't treat me like I'm a child." she said, pouting.

'Aw~' everyone mentally gushed in unison. 'She's so cute...'

* * *

Later

"Geez..." Haru mumbled to herself as she walked into one of the changing booths, pulling the curtain closed. "Such a pain in the ass."

The female swimmer grabbed the ends of her shirt and lifted it over her head. After setting it aside, she grabbed the straps of her swimsuit and pulled it down to her waist. Then she put the bra straps over her shoulders, leaning forward a bit after that. The ravenette grunted a few times as she tugged on the hooks. After a few more tugs, she was able to finally clasp them together. Next, Haru reached inside the bra and moved her breasts to fill up the cup.

"Haru-chan, are you done?" Ryoko asked from outside the changing booth.

"Yes." the female swimmer replied in monotone.

"How does it feel? Does it fit?" Kokoro questioned.

"Honestly, it's feels really tight." the ravenette told her.

'But that's the biggest size they have here.' the cafe owner thought to herself.

* * *

Later, in the evening

'In the end, we couldn't find any bras that were even close to fitting her in any shops.' Ryoko thought, riding home in a train with the other girls.

'Does this means she's bigger than 102?' Toka asked herself mentally.

'I feel even more inferior to her now.' Gou thought, her head bowed down in depression.

'This must be the power of mackerel.' Kokoro mentally remarked.

'So cute...' Haru thought to herself, clutching the cute stuffed bear, which the redheaded woman had bought her, close to her chest.

* * *

Meanwhile

 _From : Kokoro_

 _Subject :_

 _Apparently, bras are not for Onee-chan._

"The hell is this?" Rin asked himself after reading the text message the violet haired girl had just sent him.

 **FIN**

* * *

 **Finally done. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Please let me know what you thought about it in your reviews. I'll see you next time in the last chapter. Until then.**


	12. Distant Free!

**The final chapter! Can't believe it. I hope you enjoy it. Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

Chapter Twelve: Distant Free!

* * *

 _Four years ago, at Iwatobi Elementary School_

"So it's not in bloom yet." Rin thought aloud as he and the other young swimmers stared at the bare tree at their school.

"I told you that it was too early." Makoto said.

"But I really wanted to see it bloom..." the redheaded boy stated. "Since today's my last look at it."

"Rin." Haru spoke up.

"What is it?" Rin asked he looked at her.

"Are you really going to follow your dad's dream?" the raven haired girl questioned.

"I dunno." the young boy replied. "Not right now, at least."

"Hey, there's stuff written on the bricks." Nagisa pointed out, squatting in front of said bricks.

"Got graduation, we made this garden and wrote our favorite phrases on the bricks." Makoto explained. "Here's mine." he said, pointing to a phrase on one of the bricks that had 'I swim' written on it.

"This one's mine." Rin spoke up, gesturing to a brick that had the words 'For the team' on it. "For the team." he read the words.

Haru's face took on a look of mild surprise.

"Oh, this one must be Haru-chan's." Nagisa said, pointing to a brick that the simply words of 'Free' written on it.

* * *

 _Present Day_

Haru looked stared up at the tree that was in front of her with a blank stare.

"Onee-chan!" the voice of her younger cousin, who was standing with the other members of the swim club, called. "Hurry up!"

"Just a minute." the ravenette called back before she squatted down in front of the tree.

Then, using the stick she had in her hands, Haru started to write something in the dirt.

"What's she doing?" Rei questioned as he and the others watched their vice-captain.

"Hey, doesn't that tree..." Nagisa started to say.

"It looks just like that tree." Makoto finished, looking up at said tree.

"Onee-chan..." Kokoro said as she walked over to her cousin. "What are you writing?" she asked.

When Haru didn't reply, the violet haired girl looked down at the dirt, her expression taking on a look of surprise when she saw what the female swimmer was writing. Then she smiled.

* * *

 _Later, inside the building where regionals were being held_

"It's so big." Nagisa remarked when the team walked into the pool area and saw the large pool.

"And it's packed." Rei added.

"I really want to swim in it." Kokoro said.

"There you all are." Sasabe said as he walked over to the team with the manger.

"Good morning." Gou greeted.

"Morning." everyone, except Haru, greeted back.

Then the swim captain and ten year old girl noticed that the female swimmer was looking around the area.

"Seems Rin's not here yet." Makoto said.

"Don't worry, I'm sure he'll turn up soon." Kokoro told her cousin.

"Yeah." Haru agreed, a small smile appearing on her face.

"Did something happen with my Onii-chan yesterday?" Gou asked/whispered to the blue haired first year.

"Oh..." was all Rei said as he remembered what had happened between him and the other male swimmer. "No." he answered. "We just both agreed to do our best today."

"Hello, everyone." Toka greeted as she walked over to the group with Ms. Amakata.

"Yo, Kokoro-chan!"

"Kanon-chan, Jimeko-chan?!" Kokoro said shock when she saw her friends with the student council president and lady teacher. "What are you guys doing here?" she asked.

"We came to help cheer on your cousin and the others." Kanon replied, grinning widely as she gave a thumbs-up.

"We wanted to give our support." Jimeko informed.

"Ah, thank you." the violet haired girl said appreciatively, smiling happily and widely.

"Good morning, everyone."

"Ryoko..." Haru said when she saw the redheaded woman, Ginjirou standing next to her on a leash.

"Ryoko-chan is here, too." Nagisa stated the obvious.

"I don't think dogs are allowed to be inside the building." Rei commented, looking at the large canine.

"What people don't know won't hurt them, right?" Ryouko remarked, smiling innocently.

"Ryoko-onee-san is sneaky." Kokoro stated.

"We got seat for everyone." Toka informed.

"Great, thank you." Gou said.

"If we win today, we make to nationals." Makoto thought aloud, looking slightly nervous.

"Can we win?" Nagisa questioned.

"Hey!" Sasabe suddenly yelled, surprising everyone. "Don't wuss out now! Stop worrying about the outcome! Just be free. Swim to your heart's content!" he told them.

The five swimmers looked at one another and smiled.

"Yeah!" the said in unison.

* * *

 _Meanwhile_

"Matsuoka-senpai..." Ai started to say to the redheaded swimmer, who was sitting in one of the many seats on the bus. "Please cheer up. You'll get another shot at the relay at nationals. Our school will definitely advance!" he told him. "So you should focus on your 100 m free today and forget about the rela-"

"Shut up!" Rin yelled, cutting off the other swimmer as he stood up and walked away.

"Senpai..." was all the first year as he watched the older boy leave.

* * *

 _Later_

"Gou-chan, which one is your brother?" Toka asked the first year girl, standing with her in the stands with everyone else as all the swimmers from different schools all lined up in front of the large pool, listening to the speech that was being given.

"Oh, he's on Samezuka's..." Gou trailed off as she looked for her older brother. When she spotted him, she quickly took notice of the way his head was bowed down.

"Rin?" Ryoko questioned, also noticing her son.

"Is something wrong with Onii-chan?" Kokoro asked herself as she also noticed the male swimmer.

* * *

 _Later, after the speech_

 _"Men's 100 m freestyle, heat three."_

"Rin-chan's up next." Nagisa remarked after listening to the announcement.

"Yeah." Haru said, watching the swimmers climbing onto the starting boards.

"Onii-chan, you can do it!" Gou cheered.

"Kick their asses, Rin!" Ryoko shouted.

"Onii-chan, fight!" Kokoro called.

Ginjirou barked.

When the signal was given, the swimmers dove into the water, Rin getting a late start in.

"He had a late start?!" Makoto exclaimed in disbelief.

"Rin can make up for it on the turn!" Haru declared. "Rin..."

"They're entering the turn!" Toka shouted as swimmer flipped in the water and propelled themselves off the water.

"What's wrong, Kokoro-chan?" Jimeko asked her friend, who had a troubled look on her.

"Something's not right." the violet haired girl replied. "Onii-chan is falling behind." she said, watching the redheaded swimmer. "Onii-chan..."

Soon, all the swimmers reached the other end of the pool, signaling that the ran was over

"Rin came in last?" Ryoko questioned in disbelief. "What's going on with him?"

"Onii-chan..." was all Gou said.

Haru, whose mouth was agape a bit from shock, watched as the male swimmer tried to pull himself out of the pool, falling back in a couple of times. Then she shot up from where she was sitting and ran away

"Onee-chan!" Kokoro shouted as she followed her cousin.

"Wait for us!" Makoto called, following the girls with the other male swimmers.

* * *

 _Later_

"Matsuoka-senpai! Please wait!" Ai yelled as he grabbed Rin's arm, stopping him in his tracks. "It's okay. You just happened to have a bad day. Your talent is the real deal. If you were in better condition, then you could have..."

"Shut up!" Rin yelled, slamming his fist on a nearby vending machine.

* * *

"That was..." Kokoro started to say, hearing the loud yell along with the others.

"This way!" Haru said, running in the direction of the yell.

* * *

"Senpai, please calm down!" Ai begged. "If you do that, then you wouldn't be allowed to participate in the next tournament!"

"It doesn't matter!" Rin yelled. "I don't give a damn about what happens! I'm obviously no better than this! That's why I was taken off the relay! Forget it! I quit! I'm done swimming!" he declared, kicking a nearby trash can.

"Matsuoka-senapi!" the first year called when the other swimmer started to walk away.

Then he turned around and saw that the Iwatobi swim club standing there with shocked expressions on their faces. Not saying, Ai turned and followed after Rin.

Haru, whose eyes were wide and her mouth agape, just stood where she was after watching the scene that just happened.

* * *

 _Meanwhile_

"Gou, look at this." Ryoko said as she handed her daughter the pamphlet, which showed which swimmers were going to be in which type of race, she was holding.

Gou took the pamphlet and looked at it. Her eyes widened in shock. "This is..."

* * *

 _Meanwhile_

"Rin-chan was removed from the relay?" Nagisa questioned in disbelief.

"We thought we'd be able to race Rin if we made it to final." Makoto said.

"Maybe being removed from the relay is that reason for his swimming in the 100 m free." Kokoro thought aloud. She turned to her older cousin, who still had a shocked look on her face. "Onee-chan?" she questioned.

Haru didn't reply as she repeated what the male swimmer had declared not too long around. Then she remembered him saying the same thing when they were younger after their race in middle school.

"Onee-chan!" Kokoro shouted when she saw the ravenette lean against the wall and slid down.

"I won't be able to swim with Rin ever again?" Haru asked herself with her head bowed down, a single tear falling from her left eye, sliding down her cheek, and falling onto the floor.

"Haru..." was all Makoto could say.

"Haru-chan..." was the only thing Nagisa said.

"Onee-chan..."

"What do we do now?" the blonde first year asked. "The relay prelims are going to start soon."

"Let's focus on our own race right." the olive green haired young man told him.

"But look at Onee-chan." Kokoro said. "She can't swim like this."

"I have something to tell everyone." Rei spoke up.

"Rei-chan?" Nagisa questioned.

"Last night, Rin-san called me outside to talk." the blue haired first year told them.

The other swimmers, except Haru, all took on an expression of surprise.

"He told me that when he said he wanted to quit swimming in middle school, it wasn't because he lost Haruka-senpai." Rei continued. "He hit a wall while training abroad and is confidence became shaken. That's why he wanted to quit swimming. But after returning to Japan, running into Haruka-senpai, and racing her again, he couldn't put it behind him. After watching us swim at prefectuals, he remembered what it was like, and wanted to swim in a relay again. That's why he said he's swim with Samezuka to give us the best relay ever."

"I didn't realize Rin-chan felt that way." Nagisa said.

"But that's not really what he wants." the blue haired first year informed. "He didn't care about the race. He just wanted to swim with all of you again. To swim with the best teammates he could have..."

"How do you know that?" Haru asked in monotone, standing up.

"Because..." Rei started to say. "I feel the same way he does." he told her, smiling. "I want to swim in a relay with all of you. With the best teammates I could ask for..."

No one said anything as they stared at the male swimmer, taken aback by his words.

"I'm sure you feel exactly the same way, Haruka-senapi!" the blue haired young man insisted. "The race isn't important! There's someone you love and want to swim with, right?!"

"I..." Haru started to say. "I love Rin and want to swim with him!" she declared.

"If you don't do something, Rin-san will stop swimming for real." Rei said. "You're the only ones who can help him!"

"But what are we suppose to do?" Makoto questioned.

"You still don't understand?!" the blue haired first year exclaimed. "Logically speaking, there's only one possible solution!"

"Rei, are you really okay with that?" Haru asked, understanding what he meant.

Rei stared at her for a moment before he smiled. "Of course!" he declared.

* * *

 _Meanwhile_

"No luck! I can't find them anywhere!" Sasabe informed to the others after returning from searching for the five swimmers.

"The medley relay swimmers are suppose to report soon." Ms. Amakata said.

"If they don't soon, then they'll be disqualified." Toka informed.

"No way!" Kanon and Jimeko exclaimed in unison.

'Haru-chan...' Ryoko thought to herself. 'You and the others are out looking for Rin, aren't you? Please...' she gripped her fist tightly. 'Please find him and help him! And then get back here as fast as you can!'

* * *

 _Back with the Iwatobi Swim Club_

"He's not here." Makoto informed his teammates after looking in the men's locker room.

"If we split up, then we could probably find him faster." Kokoro remarked.

"Good idea." the swim captain agreed with her plan. "Let's go!"

"Yeah!" everyone replied in unison before they all ran off in different directions.

* * *

"Rin! Rin!" Haru yelled as she ran outside the regionals building, looking around for the redheaded swimmer. "Rin! Where are you?!"

When she stopped for a moment to catch her breath, the ravenette looked up and saw the time on a nearby street clock.

"We're running out of time!" Haru said to herself. 'Rin...' then her eyes widened as a thought came into her mind. 'Maybe...'

* * *

 _Sometime later_

The female swimmer stopped running when she saw a certain male swimmer standing under the tree she had written by, panting heavily from all the running she had done. Rin turned his head and soon noticed the ravenette standing a few feet away from him, his face taking on a look of shock. However, his expression turned to a one of angry and bitterness.

"Haru..." was all he said. "Why are you here?" he asked. "Did you come to laugh at my pathetic lost?"

"Rin..." Haru started to say.

"You saw what happened in the free." Rin remarked, smiling bitterly "And I was taken out of the relay. The world is laughing at me. So go ahead and join in! No need to pity me."

The ravenette didn't say anything, nor did she laugh. She just stared at him.

"I told you to laugh!" the redheaded swimmer yelled. "That's all I'm good for, anyway. I'm not even good enough to race you guys in a relay!"

"Rin, calm down!" Haru told him.

"Shut up! What would you know?!" Rin shouted.

"I know!" the female swimmer yelled. "I know how fun it is to swim with friends..." she told him, tightly clenching her fist. "I know how good it feels to swim in a relay together..." she looked him straight in the eye. "You were the one who taught me that, Rin!" she declared.

The redheaded young man was taken back by what the ravenette just said. Then his frowned angrily as his teeth gritted together tightly.

"You're the reason, I..."

"Shut up!" Rin ordered, grabbing the front of her jacket.

"Rin, I understand now!" Haru told him, grabbing his hands. "I found the answer! The answer to why I swim! Who I'm swimming for!"

"I told you to shut up!" the young man yelled, shaking her back and forth.

Suddenly, during their struggle, the two swimmers both tripped and fell to the ground, the ravenette landing on her back with the male swimmer on top of her. Then, using all her strength, Haru manged to turn Rin over, making them roll the other way. When they stopped rolling, he was on top of her again.

Then, out of the corner of his eye, Rin saw something that made he freeze. 'For the team' was written in the dirt. Haru followed his gaze and saw that he noticed what she had written earlier this morning.

"This tree..." she started to say. "Looks a lot like the cherry blossom tree that was in the school yard." she remarked. "Isn't that way you're here?" she questioned.

The grip the redheaded young man had on her jacket loosened.

"Why?" Rin questioned himself, tears filling up in his eyes.

Haru didn't say anything as she stared up at him, some of his tears falling on her face.

"Why can't I be free?" the male swimmer asked. "I want to swim with you and everyone else." he told the girl under him. "I want to swim in a relay with you guys."

The female swimmer took a moment to completely register what he just said. Then she felt herself smile a bit.

"But it's too late now." Rin said.

"No, it's not too late." Haru retorted as she pushed herself up a bit with her elbows. "Let's go, Rin." she told him.

The redheaded young man didn't say anything as he stared at the young woman, thinking about what she just said.

"Oh, there they are."

Turning his head to the source of the voice, Rin saw the other members of the ravenett's swim.

"Onii-chan!" Kokoro called.

"You guys..." was all the redheaded young man said, standing up and getting off of Haru, who stood up as well.

"Honestly..." Rei spoke up. "Watching you irritates me so much." he remarked. "If you want to swim, go ahead."

"Rin, come on." the female swimmer said.

Rin turned to look at her.

"This time, it's my turn to show you a sight you've never seen before." Haru told him, holding out her hand to him.

The male swimmer didn't say anything as he stared at the ravenette. Then, slowly, he raised his hand and placed it in the young woman's.

* * *

 _Meanwhile_

 _"Men's medley relay, heat one."_

"Damn, it's already starting." Sasabe said after hearing the announcement.

'They came all this why to be disqualified?' Gou thought to herself.

"There they are!" Ryoko exclaimed when she saw Haru, Makoto, and Nagisa down by the pool.

"It looks like they made it just in time." Toka remarked, sighing in relief.

 _"Men's medley relay, heat two."_

"Makoto-kun!" the redheaded cheered when the swim captain entered the water and grabbed the bars attached to the wall.

"Makoto-senpai!" Gou also cheered.

Ginjirou barked out his cheer.

When the signal was given, all the swimmers pushed themselves off the wall and swam through the water.

"Go, go, go, go, go, Makoto!" the girls, women, and old swim coach, they large canine barking along with them, chanted in unison. "Swim, swim, swim, swim, swim, Makoto!"

* * *

As he was swimming, Makoto felt has if he was swimming through dark water. Then a bright light shined above him. A second later, the swim captain felt that he was now drifting through the calm ocean water, looking up at the sky above.

"This is..." was all Makoto was able to say. Then he smiled.

* * *

"Nagisa!" the olive green haired young man yelled the second he touched the wall of the pool.

A second later, the blonde first year jumped into the water.

* * *

While swimming through the water, Nagisa felt like he wasn't alone. Ahead of him, the short blonde saw a dolphin, a killer whale, a great white shark, a sea lion pup, and a golden butterfly.

"Wait for me! I'm coming!" Nagisa called as he swam after the sea animals and insect.

* * *

"They're in third place, ahead of the top school!" Sasabe said when he saw the score board.

"Amazing!" Toka declared.

"That's a personal best!" Gou exclaimed, smiling widely.

"Rei should be up next." the old swim coach said.

"Wait..." Jimeko spoke up, looking down at the starting blocks where the butterfly swimmers were standing on. "Isn't that..."

"Rin?!" Ryoko exclaimed in disbelief when she saw her son standing there.

* * *

As he stood on the starting block, Rin grinned widely as he adjusted his goggles over his eyes. When he saw the blonde first year swimming back to the other side of the pool, the male swimmer got into position.

"Rin-chan!" Nagisa yelled the second he touched the wall.

Rin jumped into the pool not too long after, beginning to swim to the other side.

* * *

"I told them to be free, but they went too far!" Sasabe remarked as he, the girls, and women watched the young man swim through the water from the stands, shocked looks on their faces.

"His entry angle was five degrees off, but I suppose it will do."

"What he said."

Everyone turned their heads to the side and saw Kokoro, gaping in shock when they saw Rei sitting next to her.

"Why are you here?!" Toka shouted.

"I'll explain everything later." the blue haired first year replied. "Right now, we need to cheer them on."

"Onii-chan, go!" Kokoro cheered.

"Go, go, go, go, go, Rin!" Ryoko and Gou also cheered.

Ginjirou barked.

* * *

As he was swimming through the water, Rin felt like the water around him was dark. Then, a moment, everything became more brighter, more blue. The young man man's face gained the expression of amazement. Then he grinning widely, continuing to swim forward.

* * *

Back at the starting blocks, Haru pulled her goggles over her eyes, got into position, and waited for the redheaded swimmer to swim back over to her side.

"Haru!" Rin yelled the moment he touched the wall.

A second later, the ravenette dove into the water, the male swimmer watching her in amazement as she did so.

* * *

As she swam through the water, Haru felt herself floating in the water, nothing there but her and the water, nothing but silence was heard. Her face was blank as she stared at the bright light shining above her. Her eyes closed as she allowed herself to float through the water. As she did so, the young woman heard the voices of her friends on her mind.

"Haru!" she heard Makoto's voice.

"Onee-chan!" Kokoro voice's.

"Haru-chan!" that was Nagisa's.

"Haruka-senpai!" that one was Rei's.

"Haru!"

Upon on hearing Rin's voice, Haru opened her eyes. Then she started swimming upward and towards the bright light.

* * *

Everyone cheered on the ravenette as she swam back towards the other side of the pool. Just moments later, Haru felt her hand touch the wall and lifted her hand from the water. On the scoreboard, it showed Iwatobi High School in first place. People in the stands all cheered.

Panting heavily, Haru removed her goggles and let her hair down from the high ponytail she had it in.

"Haru!"

Looking up, the young woman saw that Makoto was holding out his hand to her.

"Haru-chan. Haru-chan." Nagisa repeated her name, tears in his eyes.

"Stop crying, Nagisa." the swim captain told him.

Haru felt herself smile. Then she took Makoto's hand and allowed him to her out of the pool. She looked over at Rin, who ran towards her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and kissed her. Haru's eyes widened from his action. But she got over it, closed her eyes, and kissed him back, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Makoto and Nagisa gaped at their friend's boldness. Then they looked at one another and smiled.

* * *

"Oh my!" Toka and Ms. Amakata said in unison, blushing from the scene.

"Kids these days sure are bold." Sasabe remarked.

"Wow!" Kokoro, Jimeko, and Kanon all squealed, their cheeks turning slightly red as stars appeared in their eyes.

"Finally!" Gou cheered, pumping her fists into the air.

"They do know that they're in front of thousands of people, right?!" Rei exclaimed, his face heating up from watching the scene.

"I don't think they give a damn." Ryoko told him, smiling widely.

Ginjirou barked in agreement.

* * *

After pulling away from each other from lack of oxygen, Haru and Rin stared at each other. Then they both hugged one another tightly.

"Haru, you showed me the best I could've asked for!" the redheaded swimmer declared, tears in his eyes. "Haru..."

"Yeah..." the ravenette agreed, smiling.

"Haru!"

"Haru-chan!"

"Hey." Haru said when the other two swimmers came over and hugged her and Rin.

"Makoto! Nagisa!" the redheaded young man said.

"Rin!"

"Rin-rin!"

* * *

"Onii-chan..." Kokoro and Gou said in unison, smiling at the scene.

"You finally look truly happy, Rin." Ryouko remarked.

"Rin's really fast." Sasabe compliment.

"I was shocked at first, but this is really touching." Ms. Amakata remarked.

"Definitely!" Toka agreed.

"You guys are truly beautiful." Rei insisted as he watched the other swimmers, smiling.

* * *

 _Later, in the evening_

"Okay, and so..." Ms. Amakata started say, standing in front of swim club with her arms crossed over her chest and a disapproving look on her face. "After that emotional performance, you were disqualified." she told them. "It wasn't easy to endure the staff members scolding us. They've never had someone swim in a relay from a different school's team."

"We're very sorry." the five swimmers apologized sincerely, bowing to the lady teacher.

Ms. Amakata sighed, then smiled. "Well, it's okay?" she said. "Young people do crazy things."

"Why did you pull off that stunt?" Sasabe asked.

"Because..." Rei spoke up. "It was only right."

"Yep, we may be on different teams..." Nagisa trailed off.

"But we're still..." Haru added.

"Teammates..." Makoto finished.

"What does that mean?" the lady teacher asked.

Everyone, except Haru, just laughed slightly.

* * *

 _Meanwhile_

"I'm very sorry!" Rin apologized, bowing in front of the orange haired swim captain. "I will take responsibility for my actions. Please take me off the swim team."

"Matsuoka-senpai..." was all Ai said as he stared at the redheaded swimmer.

"Nitori..." the young man started to say as he straightened himself. "Sorry for yelling at you earlier."

"You don't have to worry about that!" the first year told him. "And anyway, we can't kick you off..."

"I won't accept that!" Seijirou suddenly shouted, starting at Rin seriously. "I have a better way for you to own up to your actions. Swim the way you just did for our team." he said, grinning.

"Captain..." was all the redheaded swimmer could say.

"Okay, boys. Let's go home." the swim captain stated, turning to walk away.

"Nitori." Rin called the silvery haired swimmer. "Er..." he mumbled the back of his neck. "Ai." he said.

Ai's face took on a look of shock when the second year had called him by his name.

"Practice with me again starting tomorrow." the redheaded young man requested.

"Yes, Rin-senpai!" the first year replied, smiling widely.

* * *

 _Meanwhile_

"It's over." Nagisa thought aloud as he and the other swim club members stared at the large building in front of them.

"Will we make it back next year?" Makoto questioned.

"We have to make it back." Rei insisted. "It'll be my turn to unveil my dazzling butterfly technique."

"Careful, or you're head will grown bigger and you'll never swim." Kokoro remarked.

"That won't happen!" the blue haired young man shouted.

The two other male swimmers laughed.

"Don't worry." Haru spoke up, a small smile on her face. "We''ll be back." she stated.

Suddenly, the ravenette felt someone grab her hand and pull her away.

"Eh?" the female swimmer questioned as she looked at who was pulling her.

"Come with me." Rin said as he pulled the slightly shorter girl with him.

"Wait, Rin." Makoto called out. "Where are you taking Haru?" he asked.

"None of your business." the redheaded young man called back.

"Interesting." Kokoro thought aloud as she watched the male swimmer drag her cousin, who just let herself be pulled with a blank expression on her face, away. She looked at the other swimmers. "You guys wanna go spy on them?" she asked.

"Absolutely!" the boys replied.

* * *

 _Sometime later, at Iwatobi Elementary School_

'Why did he bring us here?' Haru mentally questioned when the male swimmer dragged her all the way to their old elementary school, right under the tree they had made their promise to each other four years ago.

"Rin, why are we..." the ravenette started to say but was cut off when Rin suddenly turned around covered her mouth with his own, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her body against his.

Haru's eyes widened when the redheaded young man had begun to kiss her passionately. However, she got over her shock, closed her eyes, and kissed him back, wrapping her arms around his neck. After what seemed like hours, but was only a few moments, the two swimmers pulled away from each other for air.

"Rin, why did you..." Haru trailed off, panting a bit from the make-out session.

"I'm sorry." Rin apologized, his head over her shoulder while one of his arms was around her waist, his other hand on her the back of her head. "I'm sorry for everything I've said and did to you. I'm sorry for breaking my promise. And, most of all, I'm sorry for hurting you and causing you pain. Will you ever forgive me?"

The young woman just stood where she was, taken aback by his sincere apology. Then her face went back to her usual emotionless look.

"I don't know..." she started to say as she pushed away from him, turned her back to him, and crossed her arms under her chest. "I mean, despite all that drama we went through, you still went right ahead and abandoned me after that tournament." she said in monotone. "Bastard." she soon added.

"Urk..." Rin flinched from what she just said. "I-I didn't have a lot of control over my actions back then..." he tried to explain. "I was on winner's high."

Haru didn't say anything.

"Haru, are you pissed at me?" the young man asked, becoming slightly nervous.

"Well, not really." the ravenette replied. "There were some things that I didn't really say on my part. I'll let it slid just this once."

Rin sighed in relief.

"Now then, why did you drag me all the way out here?" Haru asked.

"Well..." the male swimmer started to say, his face turning as red as his hair.

* * *

 _Meanwhile_

'He's going to confess!' Kokoro, who was hiding behind nearby bushes with the rest of the swim club and watching the scene, thought to herself, her two strands twitching in excitement.

'Go for it, Rin-chan!' Nagisa mentally cheered.

'This is the logical moment!' Rei thought.

'I hope Haru's okay.' Makto remarked mentally, feeling a bit worried for his childhood friend.

'Rin-senapi!' Ai thought, hiding behind some different bushes.

'Eh?!' the four other swimmers mentally exclaimed when they saw the silvery haired first year also hiding.

* * *

 _Meanwhile_

"I want to give you my response." Rin said.

"Huh?" Haru questioned.

"Haru..." the male swimmer paused for a moment, inhaling deeply. "I love you." he confessed, looking at her seriously. "Please be my girlfriend."

The ravenette didn't say anything as she stared at the young man with slightly wide eyes.

"Well don't just stand there in silence!" Rin yelled. "Say something already!"

"Took you long enough, stupid." Haru finally said.

"What was that?!" the young man exclaimed, glaring at her.

Ignoring his glare, the young woman looked at him and smiled. "I love you, too, Rin." she confessed. "Please be my boyfriend." she requested.

Rin's eyes widened as his face turned as red as his hair, his heart beating faster than normal.

"Are you being serious right now?!" he asked, almost not believing what she said.

"Do you really think I would lie about something like this?" Haru questioned.

"No, but still..." the redheaded young man trailed off.

"Rin, I expect you to keep your promise." Haru told him.

"Promise?" Rin repeated. "I've already gave you my answer, didn't I?"

"Not _that_ promise." the ravenette said. "I'm talking about the one we made in elementary school. You know, the one where you said that we would do a lot of..." she trailed off, her face turning slightly red. "Kissing and stuff..." she mumbled loud enough for him to hear.

"You..." was all the male swimmer said, his face turning as red as his hair when he understood what she was talking about. "You must really love me a lot, huh?" he questioned.

"Shut up. Don't get so full of yourself." Haru retorted. "Well, are you going to do it?" she asked, the blush on her face turning a darker shade of red.

Rin felt himself smile. "With pleasure." he said, wrapping his arm around her waist as his other hand went to the back of her head.

The two swimmers closed their eyes and leaned closer to each other, their lips soon coming in contact with each other.

 _In the end, no matter how we idiots complicate things, there's only one goal for us. And from now on, whenever I see your face, hear your voice, feel your touch, over and over again, I'll fall in love with you just like this._

* * *

"Wow!" Kokoro silently squealed, her two strands of hair twitching wildly. "That was better than I thought it would be."

"I say it took them both long enough." Nagisa remarked.

"Love that surpasses friendship is indeed a beautiful thing." Rei declared.

"What nice thing to say, Rei." Makoto said.

"Are you okay with this, Mako-chan?" the blonde first year asked.

"I lost a long time ago." the olive green haired young man replied.

"I'm so happy for them!"

"Ai-onii-chan?" Kokoro questioned as she turned to the silvery haired first year, who had comically tears flowing from his eyes.

"Congratulations, Rin-senpai!" Ai shouted.

"Youth snapshot~" the ten year old chirped as she took a picture of her cousin and the young man with her phone.

"We should celebrate Rin-chan and Haru-chan finally becoming a couple!" Naigsa insisted, pumping a fist in the air.

"Absolutely!" Kokoro agreed, pumping both of her fists into the air.

"Kokoro-chan, Nagisa, put your hands down!" Makoto told them. "They'll see you!"

"We already know you idiots are there!" Rin suddenly yelled, glaring at the group hiding behind the bushes. "Would you all give it a rest already?!"

"Eeep! Onii-chan's mad!" the violet haired girl squeaked. "Save the snapshot of youth!" she cried as she jumped of the bushes and ran away.

"Come back here, you damn brat!" the male swimmer shouted as he chased after the younger girl.

"Run, Koko-chan!" Nagisa yelled, coming out of the bushes with the others.

"Rin, don't bully Kokoro." Haru called out.

"Just wait until I get my hands on you!" Rin exclaimed.

"That is if you can catch me!" Kokoro retorted as she moved out of the way when the young man tried to grab her.

"Should we did do something?" Makoto questioned.

"Probably." Haru replied before she went in the direction her cousin and boyfriend went in, the other swimmers following her.

* * *

 _Days later, at Iwatobi High School_

"Hello, everyone. My name is Matsuoka Rin. I previously went to Samezuka Academy. I have a girly name, but I'm a guy. Looking forward to being..."

"Lame!" Kokoro cut off the male swimmer, she and the rest of the swim club sitting in different desks in the classroom they were using.

"Yeah, it doesn't feel quite right." Nagisa agreed.

"Zero points. Put more effort into it." Rei told him, pushing up his glasses.

"You used to be more..." Makoto trailed off, trying to think of the right word.

"Fresh?" Haru suggested in monotone.

"Yeah, that's it!"

"Shut up!" Rin yelled. "You guys told me to do this for some reason!"

Suddenly, the door to the classroom slid open.

"Hey! Why are you fooling around?" Gou asked.

"Our joint training is about to start." Ai informed.

"Onii-chan, stop playing around." the redheaded manger scolded her older brother.

"Fine!" the redheaded young man replied. "Man..." he sighed.

"Well, let's get going." Makoto said, getting up from the desk he was sitting in.

"It's time to avenge my previous showing at our joint training." Rei stated. "I will show you my beautiful butterfly stroke." he declared.

"Strong words, Rei!" Rin remarked. "I'll show you how good Samezuka is!"

"You wanna race?" Nagisa asked.

"You won't beat us." the redheaded young man replied. "We've got our eyes set on the world."

"Onee-chan, what are you doing?" Kokoro questioned, looking at her cousin. "Let's go."

"Coming." Haru said, sitting up from her desk.

"Last one to the pool is a sea urchin!" the violet haired girl shouted before she ran out of the room.

"Hey, don't give yourself a head start!" Rin yelled, running after her.

The other swimmers soon followed.

* * *

 _A bit later_

"So you're following your father's dream?" Haru asked the male swimmer running next to her, the two of them behind the others.

"No, I'm not following my dad's dream." Rin replied. "I'm following my own dream. What about you, Haru?"

"Me?" the ravenette questioned. "I'm..." she trailed off, looking up at the sky. "I'm still not sure about the future, but..." she paused for a moment, smiling. "For now, I'm just happy that I can swim with everyone."

* * *

 _Inside the Iwatobi Swim Club locker room_

A picture of the six swimmers was taped to the wall.

Rin was smiling widely with his arm over Haru's shoulder, his other hand making a peace sign. The raventte had her head turned away from the camera with her usual emotionless face, she was smiling on the inside, though. Makoto was standing beside her with a small smile on his face while he made a peace sign. Nagisa held onto Rin's arm, pumping a fist on the air with a wide smile on his face. Rei was standing next, making a peace sign while his lips curled back into a smile. As for Kokoro, she was standing in front of her cousin and the redheaded swimmer with a large, happy smile on her face, one of her eyes closed while both of her hands with in the air, making peace signs with them.

 _To be continued in the sequel..._

* * *

 **Omake Ten:**

 _One day, at Iwatobi High School while in the locker room_

"Hey, Haru." Rin said.

"What?" the female swimmer questioned in monotone, drying her hair with a towel.

"In all the years I've known you, I've never once seen you laugh." the redheaded young man stated.

"How about you?" Haru asked. "You used to laugh like an idiot at just about everything, and now you don't." she remarked.

"Shut up!" Rin yelled. "I've grown up is all." he retorted.

"I wouldn't say 'grown up'." Kokoro spoke up.

"Keep your comments to yourself."

"But Rin-san has a point." Rei said. "I've never seen Haruka-senpai burst out in laughter."

"Koko-chan, have you ever seen Haru-chan laugh before?" Nagisa asked the youngest swimmer.

"Not that you mention, I never have." Kokoro admitted. "What about you, Mako-onii-chan?" she asked, turning to the swim captain.

Makoto didn't say anything for a moment. "I have." he finally said.

"Oooh?" everyone said, immediately interested.

"What are you saying, Makoto?" Haru asked.

"Well, well..." Rin started to say, slinging an arm over his girlfriend's shoulder with a grin on his face.

"Hey, get off of me." the ravenette ordered.

"Spill it, Makoto." the redheaded swimmer demanded.

"It was back in elementary school during an event." Makoto began. "We were staying at a hotel when I heard laughing coming from the futon next to mine. Yes, it was Haru's laughter. It was really scary."

"It was probably just her talking in her sleep..." Rei told him.

"You got our hopes up for nothing, Mako-onii-chan!" Kokoro shouted.

"It's true!" the swim captain insisted.

Rin glanced over at Haru. Then an idea came into his mind, causing him to smirk deviously.

"Kokoro, Makoto, Nagisa, Rei." he said.

They other four swimmers looked at him curiously.

With the same smirk on his face, the redheaded young man hooked his arms under the ravenette's.

"Do it." he said.

The others just blinked. Then they all grinned when they understood what he might.

"Attack!" they yelled, going towards the female swimmer and started to tickle her.

"Hey! Knock it off!" Haru shouted. Her whole then began to shake. Then, much to the shock of the others, she started to laugh.

Everyone just stood where they were as they watched the ravenette's laugh, their mouths gaped open widely. After a few moments, Haru finally managed to regain her composure and stopped laughing.

"What hell _was_ that for?" she asked.

Instead of saying anything, the five swimmers just laughed and glomped on the female swimmer.

"Hey! Are you guys listening?" Haru asked.

"You laughed, Haru!" Rin stated the obvious.

"No, I didn't!" the young woman denied.

"Haru, are you embarrassed?" Makoto questioned.

"You're so cute, Onee-chan!" Kokoro declared.

"You have sure a lovely laugh, Haruka-senpai." Rei remarked.

"I was not laughing!"

* * *

 _Later that day_

"Are you still mad at me?" Rin asked his girlfriend, who he was walking home with along with Kokoro, who was a few ways ahead of them.

Haru didn't make any reply as she turned her head away from him.

"Come on, you have to admit it was pretty funny." the young man insisted.

"It was not." the ravenette finally said. "Holding me back while the others tickled me. Jerk."

"It was a real shock, though. Seeing you laugh and all." Rin said.

"I was _not_ laughing." Haru denied.

"If you say so." the male swimmer retorted, not believing her for a single second. "Even so..." he started say, placing his hand on the top of her head. "I think you have a really nice laugh." he told her, smiling.

The female swimmer felt her face heat up from his compliment, her heart starting to beat faster than usual. "Idiot..." she mumbled.

Then, leaning closer to him, Haru placed her mouth over her boyfriend's, shocking him and causing his face to turn as red as his hair. A second later, she pulled back and walked ahead, the blush on her face turning a darker shade of red.

Rin just stood where he was as he watched his girlfriend's retreating figure, taken aback by the ravenette's sudden kiss. Then he smiled and quickly went after her.

"Hey..." he started to say, slinging his arm over her shoulder when he taught up with her.

"What?" Haru asked.

"I love you." Rin told her, pulling her body closer to his.

"Dummy..." the young woman mumbled, her face turning ten shades of red. "I love you, too." she confessed.

"Are you two flirting with each other back there?" Kokoro called from up ahead.

"Mind your own business!" the redheaded young man yelled.

"Aw! Onii-chan's so mean!"

"Shut up, you brat!"

"Both of you stop it, right now."

 **FIN**

* * *

 **I'm finally done. This was the last chapter, tell me what you thought about it in your reviews. I hope you all enjoyed Free! (revised). I'll try to get started on the sequel as soon as I can. Until then.**


	13. Announcement

**Hello, everyone. First of all, I like to thank all of those who have read Free! (revised), it makes me really happy that so many loved it. I would also like to inform that I will be redoing the story. In the remake, Makoto and Nagisa are going to be girls. I thought I would do it for the sequel. I hope some of you don't mind. It's going to take a while to redo it. So please be patient with me. Please let me know what you think of the idea in reviews or PMs. Thank you.**


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